Division:	Liberal Arts
Education:	B.A., Pomona College Ph.D., Rutgers University
Office:	LA 172
Extension:	3890
E-Mail:	borkc@mccc.edu

What are the rewards and challenges of teaching English?
English is unusual in that it is 2 disciplines - composition and literature. I love both concepts. I love writing and find it gratifying. I find that writing is a way of figuring out what you know. I also love teaching literature and reading a great novel. I try to impress on students that every text makes an argument. The words are not transparent, they convey meaning.

How can students become better readers and writers?
Practice! Students think there is some secret, some magical thing to writing. Sports and music require practice. I can act as a coach on the sidelines, making suggestions. I can’t just tell you how to write, but I can give you suggestions for improvement.

How do you see access to digital media impacting reading and writing?
Simple applications like the word processor produce vast amounts of text and have the ability to manipulate that text. However, word processing has encouraged some carelessness because of the ease of use. Information literacy is crucial to writing. It’s important to engage with ideas outside of your head. It radically impacts our teaching at all levels.

What are some of your projects outside the classroom?
I am the English faculty liaison to the learning center. I work with the tutors, trying to figure out what the students can do in one session. Students can practice in the session and on their own outside. They become more independent.
I am also involved with the honors program. It’s an exciting opportunity for our students. The honors program serves the highest achieving students we have here at the college. They can take a few classes with similar students and get to meet students who share similar interests.