Holly Thompson

Bio

I have an M.A. in English Composition and Rhetoric, and I love teaching writing and research at the college level! I'm currently working in the Clarke Honors College as part of the HONR 111 team that is piloting a City-As-Text pedagogy in our first-year writing seminar. Before working at SU, I taught in the K-12 context for over 10 years, teaching locally, online, and abroad. I'm enthusiastic, creative, empathetic, and committed to building a positive classroom culture that fosters all students' success.

Research Interests

I'm intensely interested in the first-year writing (FYW) experience and in understanding teaching practices that foster student success through engagement and empathy-building activities. I've spent time researching how the pedagogy of play can be leveraged at the college level, and I'm enjoying learning more about the "City-As-Text" pedagogical approach that we're using in Honors 111.
Teaching Philosophy

I believe that teaching is highly relational, and that students must first feel safe and supported before they can engage in creative, collaborative activities that support higher-order thinking and personal growth. The culture established within each classroom environment impacts how students engage with the course material, and their willingness to be authentic and take risks, so I provide many opportunities for discovery, discussion, and authentic learning. By framing writing as a process and learning as a student-led activity, I empower students to take responsibility for and control over their own learning.
Current Courses
Fall 2026
- Loading HONR 111...
Spring 2027
- Loading HONR 111...

Service Activities and Community Relations

JavaScript Required

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser.