Misty Lawrenson

Misty received her master’s degree in English Literature and Certificate of Advanced Study in Composition from California State University, Fresno.  After spending time teaching at Fresno State and Madera Community College, she relocated to Texas, joining the SMU community in January 2019. She has a passion for teaching Composition and loves watching her students progress as writers and scholars.  Misty strives to help her students gain both confidence and proficiency in their writings as they learn vital critical reasoning and communication skills.   She focuses on writing transfer, growth mindset pedagogy, and collaborative learning in her research and classroom practices.  When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and boxer dog; running in the wee hours of the morning; and signing up for races ranging from a 5k to half marathon. 

Areas of Interest

Rhetoric and Composition Studies: Transfer of Learning in the writing classroom; Utilizing and situating Prior Knowledge in the classroom; Critical Incidents (failure to transfer knowledge) as learning opportunities; Reflections as meta-cognitive learning and facilitation of transfer; peer review workshops and collaborative learning; Generation 1.5 and L2 learners in First-year Composition Classrooms

Literature Studies: 18^th and 19^th century female British writers; Marriage Law and Literature; Representation of marginal voices in Literature; Patriarchal ideology in marriage and Literature

Honors & Publications

“Transfer, Reflection, and Writing Pedagogy.” Co-Author. CSUF Source Book for Writing Teachers, California State University, Fresno, ed. 2017

Conference Presentations:

“Finding Meaningful Metacognition: Frequent Reflection Assignments Which Guide Students Toward Successful Transfer.”  Mid-Atlantic Conference on College Composition and Communication, Norfolk VA, May 2019

“Using Language to Facilitate Student Transformation: Transforming Moments of Failed Transfer to Critical Incidents in FYC Classrooms.” Conference on College Composition and Communication, Kansas City, Missouri, March 2018

“Peer Review Workshops: Helping Students to “See” Their Writing Through Someone Else’s Eyes.” Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association, Honolulu Hawaii, November 2017

“Critical Incidents: Guiding Students Through Failures in the Writing Classroom to Support Transfer of Learning.” The Young Rhetorician’s Conference, Monterey California, June 2017

Courses Taught

•  Discernment and Discourse 1312 and 1313