About

Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison

CompPost is an ongoing, online learning community around first-year writing at UW-Madison and beyond. 

Who are we?

English 100 is the first-year writing course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It serves as an introduction to college composition, prepares students for the demands of writing at the UW, and helps students think about writing in varied contexts beyond the classroom.

Our central purpose is to give students practice in writing, speaking, reading, and listening. Our strongest emphasis is on writing. We also help students develop skills in critical thinking and information literacy.

As a program, we are committed to an inclusive, student-centered pedagogy and helping all students succeed in the course.

Why “CompPost”?

Keeping in mind Wisconsin’s place in environmental history, we like the way “CompPost”  suggests an organic process, making connections between writing, the teaching of writing, and ongoing inquiry into pedagogy, student learning, and our experiences as teachers. We want this blog to be a site for cultivation, growth, and nourishment. As composting transforms organic matter into beneficial soil conditioner, we likewise aim for this CompPost to feed your needs as teachers and writers.

This space is an invitation to ponder your teaching and help you break down those moments that perhaps were unexpected or less successful and to help you transform them into ideas and lessons that can feed student learning.

We also see this as a space where you can reflect on your teaching post-comp: that is, how might your English 100 teaching help you approach your teaching in other classes or help you reflect on your own writing practice?

Getting the right balance of components is key to developing good compost. We’re looking forward to your contributions here as readers and writers so that we have a rich and nourishing mix.

English 100 Admin Team

Morris Young
Professor of English
Director of English 100

Sara Kelm
Teaching Faculty
Associate Director of English 100

Weishun Lu
Senior Assistant Director of English 100

Nicole Ramer
Assistant Director of English 100