Daniel E. Burke, PhD
Clinical Professor, Writing and Literature
Hometown
Chicago (Irving Park), Illinois
What attracted you to Arrupe College?
The ability to work with highly-motivated students—not just “teaching,” but working closely with them toward their life goals. The mission of Arrupe is a big draw. I’ve been in Jesuit schools as a student and as an instructor for about 20 years, and Arrupe offered the unique chance to not just think and talk about social justice, but put it into action in my professional life. It’s an innovative form of higher education, and I’m excited to be a part of it!
Talk a little about the classes you teach.
In our writing classes we focus on skills that will be useful in any academic setting, whether it’s a biology lab write-up or a history research project. Those classes are all about how to let your voice (and not some generic online one) shine through.
In my literature classes we read a wide variety of texts—all genres in the ENG 110, and all kinds of writers in the poetry class—and we investigate what kinds of questions literature can ask and answer for us, about our relationship with language, with ourselves, and with other people.
No matter what the topic, my classes always start from one basic goal: to create a welcoming environment with and for my students, that is an open-minded, inclusive, and a safe place for honest critical thinking and discussion. Once that community is built between the students, it makes the rest much easier.
How did you get involved in teaching English?
Thanks to some great examples, I realized in high school that I wanted to teach at some level. I love reading, love talking, and love thinking. Blessedly, that’s basically the job description of an English teacher—with some grading and administration thrown in. Except for two years living (teaching!) in Japan, I’ve been "in school" since kindergarten. The classroom is my happy place.
What’s your favorite part about teaching? And the biggest challenge?
The students for both! Guiding students toward new ideas, new ways of thinking, reading, or writing and to hear what they come up with is a joy and a privilege. And each class has its own wonderful mix of personalities. At the same time, since each student is unique, it challenges me to find techniques for teaching my class content in an engaging way to such a wide variety of learning styles, temperaments, and backgrounds. I try to educate and inspire them, while having a lot of fun - and they return the same to me, many times over.
Education
University of Minnesota (BA), Marquette University (MA, PhD)
Research Interests
Modernist poetry, William Carlos Williams, Chicago literature, ecopoetics, Ignatian/Jesuit pedagogy.
Courses Taught
- ACWRI 105 College Writing I
- ACWRI 110 College Writing II
- ACENG 110 Interpreting Literature
- ENG 271 Exploring Poetry