An Unconventional Education: A Letter to Basic Writing Practicum Students

In this letter, I want to share with you the story of how I became-and why I am still becoming-a teacher of Basic Writing.I share these stories with you, in part, to consider the call for more teacher training and professional development in BW.But more significantly, I offer my experiences with the idea that your own stories also are worth sharing, and that expertise is not a stable commodity, but a shape-shifting and fluid approach (Anzaldúa) to the material realities of our field.Because of this fluidity, teacher training also is not a commodity or even an insurance policy for a better, more sustainable career.If you imagine that teacher training in BW will clear your path for a carefree journey through the academic world, then please reconsider.