Hi, I’m renée farrar.
I am a published author, a seasoned teacher, and an enthusiastic wordsmith.
I gained a myriad of experience instructing English Composition and Literature, as an Assistant Professor of English at the United States Military Academy at West Point. I graduated from West Point in 2007 and began teaching there in 2014. I continue to hold this position, while serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves.
I have instructed nearly 1,000 students, 100 college-level English instructors, and 300 professionals on the practice of advanced writing. I have provided feedback on over 3,500 pieces of writing, during my professional career.
my approach
My hope as a teacher is to foster a student’s passion for learning; moreover, I want individuals to think deeply and express themselves clearly.
This, of course, is hard work. Writing effectively relies on the cultivation of curiosity and the practiced ability to formulate rigorous questions and well-reasoned answers. By honing critical-thinking skills, students develop the ability to understand nuanced, challenging texts and conceptualize their voice as a writer and thinker in higher-level, advanced writing contexts.
My approach to teaching is innovative in that it is, first and foremost, connected to the needs of the student. I prioritize accessibility of concept, discovering what works for an individual and tailoring material to what offers the most productive strategies for that individual. My approach comprises of tools that dissemble the perceived “mystical” or “mysterious” nature of writing, explaining the very tangible and basic “moves” that every good piece of writing makes and working to elevate the components of structured writing, while maintaining clear syntax. My methodology challenges writers to work hard, but is accessible and empowering.
Publications, Conferences, & Notable Contributions
Education:
M.A. in English, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2014
B.S. in English, United States Military Academy at West Point, 2007
Teaching Experience:
Assistant Professor, English, United States Military Academy, 2014 – Present
Lead Mentor, Arriving Faculty Summer Pedogogical Workshop, United States Military Academy, 2022 – Present
University-wide Composition Program Designer, West Point Writing Across the Curriculum, 2025
Resume Consultant, Checked and Set, 2019 – 2025
Freelance Editor, 2017-2021
Instructor, General Mathematics, Central Texas College, 2009
Publications:
“Apple.” Writing in Transit. Edited by Denise Comer. Fountainhead Press, 2023. Reprinted with permission.
"Chapter 7: Play It Again: Remediation and Ted Berrigan's 'Telegram to Jack Kerouac.’” Articulating Media. Eds. James Gabrillo and Nathanial Zetter. Open Humanities Press, 2023.
Ed. for Pepple, Darin. Dodgebomb: Outside the Wire in the Second Iraq War, 2021.
“Word Processor Art: How "User-friendly" Inhibits Creativity.” Digital Humanities Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2016.
“Photoshop.” Technoculture, Vol. 4, 2014. • “Women and Technology.” Technoculture, Vol. 4, 2014.
“Apple.” Digital America, Volume 3, No. 1, 2014.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
The Homeowners Association, a novel.
Conference Presentations:
"Play It Again: Remediation and Ted Berrigan's 'Telegram to Jack Kerouac'" at University of Cambridge, Excavating Media, 2017.
“Word Processor Art and the Graphical User Interface” at NUI Galway, Digital Material Conference, 2015.
Languages
French Intermediate Proficiency (CEFR B1)
German, Advanced Proficiency (CEFR B2)
Spanish, Advanced Beginner (A2/B1 Approx.)