On My Soapbox from Michael Wallis

Returning to Evergreen is a cherished tradition in my life. Since Fall quarter 2019, I’ve been a student here, an employee, a coordinator, a graduate, a graduate student… As with all good traditions, the start of a year at Evergreen brings a hopeful joy. The fizzing of potential excellence. 

And fear. 

At Evergreen, the stakes are high. Success is hard-won. Failure feels personal. And there is no telling what your next course is going to be like– rarely have I encountered a course taught more than once the same way, by the same people. Setting my expectations ahead of the year feels just as hard as trying to explain what I’m studying to my extended family: “Well, I think it’s a creative writing class, but…” 

From this one student to you, I haven’t always felt that my professors here realize how opaque their intentions for a class are. You come up with a premise, find a collaborator, and design this beautiful, intuitive, far-reaching and deep-diving ten week program. To you, it feels obvious what the class is all about. You even came up with a pithy, clever title which is only 11 words!

When you describe to your extended family what you’re teaching, do you struggle?

Remember your students. They are waiting for your explanation with trepidation. They are exploring and re-exploring the feeling of being at Evergreen. They are forming habits, rituals, and relationships. Their nascent culture is built of many bricks, and how you introduce them to the year, the quarter, or the week, pulling their curiosity in with the gravity of what you’ve so passionately developed, is foundational. Frankly, you can’t waste it with a half-baked syllabus.

My work this year is going to be deeply focused on collaborative design of instructional materials, syllabi included. A well-written syllabus– one that sets realistic expectations, provides a comprehensive timeline, expects a level of rigor and self-management– is one key item which can help everybody– students, faculty, and extended family– understand and set expectations for what students are really committing to when they return to Evergreen hopeful, fizzing, and afraid. 

I hope you’ll find me at your disposal. 

-Michael Wallis

Student Consultant

michael.s.wallis@evergreen.edu