Teaching Background

Tim Bascom

I have taught in a wide variety of settings, both academic and non-academic. While studying toward an M.A degree in English Literature at the University of Kansas, I taught composition and introductory literature courses, including Cultural Perspectives in Literature. For six years after that I led workshops for writers and editors in developing countries, traveling to 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. I then taught at Kansas State University as an adjunct instructor, covering Fiction Writing, World Literature, African Literature, The Short Story, and Expository Writing. In Kansas, I also visited a number of public schools and art centers as a resident author, teaching creative writing. I then attended graduate school at the University of Iowa, to complete an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, and while I was there I taught Rhetoric and Nonfiction Writing, including courses on The Personal Essay and The Contemplative Essay. Now I am the main English instructor at the Newton Campus of Des Moines Area Community College, where I teach Composition, Introduction to Literature, Contemporary Literature, and Creative Writing. I also lead writing workshops on travel writing and spiritual autobiography.

Education

University of Iowa: M.F.A. in Nonfiction Writing, 2004.

Thesis: Chameleon Days: A Memoir.

University of Kansas: M.A. in English, 1986.

Awarded Kenneth Rockwell Scholarship for excellence in the study of literature.

Wheaton College: B.A. in English, 1983.

University and College Teaching

Full-time English Faculty (Des Moines Area Community College)—2004-06.

Composition I.

Introductory essay writing, from personal and expressive to formal and scholarly.

Composition II.

Rhetorical analysis and writing to persuade.

Contemporary Literature.

A multi-ethnic comparison of contemporary novels and memoirs.

Introduction to Literature.

An introduction to poetry, fiction, and drama, including a sustained

emphasis on literature from India. Also, a quick introduction to critical perspectives.

Creative Writing.

An introduction to writing fiction, poetry, and the essay.

Teaching Assistant (University of Iowa)—2001-2004.

Nonfiction Writing: The Contemplative Essay.

Advanced creative nonfiction for students interested in

contemplative, reflective writing.

Nonfiction Writing: The Art of the Personal Essay.

Creative Nonfiction for juniors and seniors, with emphasis on two

broad types of essays: narrative-driven and idea-driven.

Accelerated Rhetoric

An intermediate rhetoric course for students with high ACT scores.

Rhetoric I and II.

Introductory courses on persuasive writing and speaking.

Instructor (Kansas State University)—1997-2001.

World Literature: African Perspectives.

A comparison of major authors from Africa, with a short unit

on parallels in the writing of minority authors from the U.S.

Fiction Writing.

Short story writing with emphasis on plot and characterization that

has literary depth.

The Short Story.

A historical and cross-cultural study of the short story.

Introduction to Literature.

An introduction to poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Expository Writing III.

Professional writing for juniors and seniors.

Expository Writing I and II.

Composition and rhetoric.

Teaching Assistant (University of Kansas)—1984-1987.

Cultural Perspectives in Literature.

World literature, including African, Asian, and European authors.

Composition II / Introduction to Literature.

Essay writing in response to poetry, fiction, and drama.

Composition I.

Essay writing in response to issues in a thematic reader.

Workshop Training

Writing Fellowship (Bread Loaf Writing Conference)—2006

Assisted with writing workshop, working alongside author William Kittredge.

Helped to critique student work and met with students individually.

Workshop Leader (Episcopal Ministries Retreat)—2005-06

Led three day workshop on writing spiritual autobiography.

Institute Director (Cook Communications Int'l, Chicago)—1994.

Founded the annual Cook Publishing Institute, which continues to bring

editors and publishers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to the U.S.

Writing and Editing Trainer (Cook Communications Int'l)—1987-1994.

Led or helped to lead over twenty workshops for writers, editors, and

publishers in the following countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,

Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire, Indonesia, Nepal, India, France, and the

Slovak Republic. Subjects included: magazine editing, magazine writing,

graphic design, short story writing, and publishing issues.

Additional Workshop Experience

Resident Writer (Kansas Arts in Education Program)—1994-2001:

Led creative writing workshops in Kansas high schools, junior high

schools, and community arts centers. In several cases, collaborated with

art teachers and art students to design and publish a literary journal.

Conference Presentations

“Trimming the Sails: The Art of the Personal Essay.” Festival of Faith and

Writing (Calvin College): April 20-22: 2006.

“The Spirit of Travel: Intersections Between Travel and Transcendence.”

Nonfiction Now Conference (University of Iowa): November 10-12, 2005.

"Strangers at Home: A Reading by Former Missionary Children." Associated

Writing Programs Conference (Vancouver): March 30-April 2, 2005.

“Two Rafts on the River of Missionary Stories.” Rafting the River of Story: A

Storytelling Symposium (University of Victoria, B.C.): March 4-5, 2005.

"Culture or Confession: Stripping the Memoir." Associated Writing Programs

Conference (Chicago): March 24-27, 2004.

"Revelation, Revolution, and Regrets: Writing from a Cross-Cultural

Background." Craft, Critique and Culture Conference (University of

Iowa): March 28-30, 2003

"The Chameleon's Eyes: A Missionary Child Comes of Age in Africa." Family,

Kinship and Cultural Studies: 10th Annual Cultural Studies Symposium

(Kansas State University): March 8-10, 2001.

Academic Administrative Experience

Departmental

Director of English, Newton Campus, Des Moines Area Community College—2004-06.

Organized and led monthly faculty meetings to discuss teaching concerns,

grading issues, training opportunities, textbook purchases, curriculum review,

course scheduling, etc. Also represented campus concerns at district-wide

English meetings or events.

Committees

Writing Contest Committee. Des Moines Area Community College—2005-06.

Appointed as judge for an annual creative writing contest that offers prizes

to top creative writing students.

International Year Committee. Des Moines Area Community College—2004-06.

Helped to plan and promote events featuring one country throughout each

academic year: Brazil in 2004-05, then India in 2005-06.

Writers Gone Public: Student Readings. University of Iowa—2002-04.

Helped to plan, organize, and promote, a once-a-semester, public reading

by top undergraduate students from creative nonfiction classes.