André Swartley

André Swartley
English Professor, Director of Intercultural Programs
Phone 620-327-8321
Office Smith Center

Affiliated Departments or Programs

Education

  • A.A., Hesston College, 1999
  • B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 2002
  • M.A., Bowling Green (Ohio) State University, 2012 graduate certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Research interests:
  • creative writing
  • world languages
  • linguistics
  • acupressure

Publications:

Fiction
  • The Wretched Afterlife of Odetta Koop (Workplay Publishing, 2015)
  • Leon Martin and the Fantasy Girl (Workplay Publishing, 2012) -First-Place Category Winner, 2013 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Lit
  • Americanus Rex (Workplay Publishing, 2009) -Fiction Finalist, 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
  • The Island of Misfit Toys (Bound to Excel, 2005) -Fiction Finalist, 2006 Best Books of Indiana
Nonfiction/Academic
  • Building a School of One by Jim Kirkton and Phil Lederach (Practitioner Publishing, 2005)
  • LACUS Forum XXXVIII: “Service-learning and Oroha language preservation: A combination that worked.”
Freelance
  • Copy writer for Macy’s department store (through RR Donnelly content providers)
  • Game reviewer for GameObserver.com and GamerU.com
  • Columnist/feature writer for The Bluffton Icon

Personal Statement

A liberal arts education provides a guided balance between nurturing strengths and expanding interests, cultural awareness and empathy.

Professional Affiliations

Courses Taught

  • Comm 206 - Speech Communication
  • Engl 102 - ESL:Intermediate Listening/Speaking
  • Engl 103 - ESL:Intermediate Grammar
  • Engl 104 - Integrated Language Arts
  • Engl 105 - ESL:Advanced Listening/Speaking
  • Engl 106 - ESL:Advanced Reading/Vocabulary
  • Engl 112 - Studies in Literature
  • Engl 125 - College Writing I
  • Engl 220 - Creative Writing
  • Japn 197 - Topics: Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture
  • SCS 101 - First-Year Seminar

In Addition …

Favorite links:

giantbomb.com wanikani.com

Websites:

andreswartley.com workplaypublishing.com

What draws you to the field of English and language?

I can’t stop learning new languages. I’ve studied — with varying success — German, Russian, Spanish and Japanese, and the thrill never dies. I also love being part of my students’ processes of discovery and mastery of language skills that enable them to succeed academically and socially in an English-speaking college environment.

What about teaching energizes you?

Teaching requires constant observation, adaption and collaboration with the students in a class. Working with students toward any learning goal keeps the mind nimble and the spirit empathetic and kind.

How has your background and educational experience shaped you as a teacher?

I have taught English in four countries at every level from pre-school to university and adult learners. Such a broad experience has forced me to realize, over and over, the importance of finding commonalities upon which to base future lessons and interactions. Food, for example. Every student I’ve ever taught has loved to talk about the food in their home countries, and I always want to hear what they have to say.

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