Dr. Barb Bird

English Department

Associate Professor of English

Office Location: Zondervan 114
Phone: (765) 998-5526
Email: brbird@tayloru.edu

Specialties: Basic writing, curricular innovation, Writing Center, pedagogy and tutor training, transfer of learning in writing studies

Education:

PhD, Ball State University, 2004
Dissertation: "George Jardine: Investigative Rhetoric & Epistemic Writing Theory"
BA, English, Taylor University, 1999

Why I Came to Taylor:

I originally came to Taylor when my husband began teaching (Steve Bird, sociology) in 1993. After going back to complete my undergraduate degree and then my Masters degree, Taylor had an opening for a position that perfectly fit my professional interests: teaching freshman writing, directing the writing center, working with faculty across the curriculum to improve the teaching of writing in all disciplines.

Advice to Incoming Freshmen:

Remember that you have no superpowers – you have to make choices and not try to do everything, at least not everything all in your first year.

Hobbies:

I enjoy my summer travels with my husband in our trailer, heading to Colorado and Montana to visit family and enjoying scenic routes along the way. I also enjoy crocheting and doing puzzles.

Little Known Fact About Me:

I was in an episode of the first season of Starsky and Hutch.

Family:

Married to my high school sweetheart (30 years this May, 2012); two grown kids, both of whom graduated from Taylor May, 2011 in computer science.