Karen Tipper

Teaching Philosophy / Goals

My teaching goals are two-fold.  First I aim to impart knowledge to my students. Second I teach and cultivate the skills that will allow them to use this knowledge to benefit their lives and careers. All students, no matter what their majors, need to study literature and the humanities to help them realize their potential as human beings and to appreciate what it means to be human in a world that is becoming increasingly profit oriented and virtual. I have a responsibility, also, to prepare English majors well for graduate school and/or teaching.

Interests

I am a specialist in 19th. Cent. English Literature and much of my published work has been in this area--the writings of Oscar Wilde and also Lady Wilde, upon whom I have published a book, and the novels of Charles Dickens.  My dissertation was also on the writings of Charles Baudelaire.  I am planning to write a second book on the writings of Sir William Wilde and am in the process of editing Lady Wilde's letters. In the spring of 2007 I taught a course on Shakespeare's joyous comedies and orchestrated a Consortium Shakespeare Conference on campus. I also write poetry and short stories. 

Courses I Teach

Engl 105 Expository Writing

Engl 235 World Literature I

Engl 236 World Literature II

Engl 252 Effective Speaking

Engl 326 Novel

Engl 318 Short Story

Engl 319 Poetry

Engl 327 Drama

Engl 480 Literature Seminar

Engl 232 Advanced Writing for Teachers