August 9, 2013

Dear You, 

Welcome to our thinking, quesoning, and wring class. I’m excited to get to know you as individuals, rather than as a big

class of many students. This leer is one way to get started. I gure what’s fair is fair; if you’re gonna share a lile about who

you are, you should know a lile about who I am. (As you read this, think of things you might choose to write to me.)  

So, I’m 45; married to Lauren—my high school sweetheart—and we have three sons: McLean, Ellio, and William. We stay

busy with school, sports and more throughout the year. Lauren also works. For the most part, I act dierently at home than I

do in class. (I don’t joke around nearly as much at home...beer for our kids and my relaonship with Lauren.) 

I will tell you stories about my family this semester, but you cannot rat me out. If you do, they will sell me on E -bay: "Used

Father/Husband for sale, BUY NOW for $14.99." Here’s a story I will tell several mes: We have two

dogs. “Dog 1 and 2.” Lauren thinks they’re smart. They aren’t. For example, when our door bell rings,

it’s never for them. But does that stop them from barking and skiering across the oors to the door

as if maybe this me it will be for them? Nope. Like I said, they’re dumb.

Even worse, Dog 1 and Dog 2 are bu -ugly. Lauren thinks they are beauful. To me, both look like they

ran into a door and smushed their noses in. What do you think? I knew it: bu -ugly! (I apologize if you

have a bu-ugly dog, too. All dogs are beauful...on the inside. In truth, they have grown on me, but

the Boxer has terrible breath and I don’t know what to do about it. Any future doggie docs or densts

out there?) 

I'm a nave Charloean. I’ve seen Charloe grow from a relavely small town – for example, downtown had no buildings

taller than 20 oors and no one ever went uptown to bars, clubs, restaurants, etc. aer 6 p.m. – to the big city that it is now.

I used to be able to shoot guns in elds around UNCC and on farms just beyond SouthPark Mall. Except for living in Chapel

Hill (for college), London (several mes), and Maine (several mes), I’ve always lived in Charloe. Somemes, I will slip up

and tell you that I have to drive back to Charloe aer work. (I forget UNCC is in Charloe.)  

Before I began teaching, I worked as professional writer. I sll do on occasion. Need any papers wrien?

(That’s a joke.) For 20+ years, I wrote magazine ads, television and radio commercials; magazine stories; NPR

radio essays; books, and other things. I’ve worked for myself most of my career, and started three

businesses, including Walkabout Press, a book publishing company that’s sll in business. I don’t spend much

me running it, and we don’t make much money anymore because we haven’t published a new book in six

years. Why? Because I discovered how much I love teaching. Fo rizzle.

What is it about teaching? I get to work with you. No maer how you feel about wring, you’re unique and

naturally curious — humans are built that way — and if you’re willing to try some new things this semester,

you’ll rekindle or connue to develop your innate curiosity. I promise. But  you have to trust our process,

even though it won’t always make sense or feel comfortable. And that’s where this class carries into life.

You’ll grow as someone who thinks for yourself, you’ll develop skills that will help you succeed and

achieve your goals, and you’ll have fun. I get to watch all of this happen. That’s prey cool for me.

Does this always happen? Nope.

You may not take an interest in this class and won’t do the work, or you’ll procrasnate and crank out crapola that you know

is awful. That’s just the way it is for some students every semester. I accept that, no hard feelings. But if you are interested

and want to grow as a creave and crical -thinking individual, I’ll do anything I can to help you! Enough about that.  

When someone I asks what I do for work, I say, “I teach and I write.” I write for many reasons, but the big ones are: (a)

Wring is a way for me to think clearly and learn more about who I am, what I think and feel; (b) Wring is a part of me; and

(c) Because I never want to forget how hard it is. Why should I expect you to do something so hard if I don’t remember just

how hard it is? That’s not fair.  

Bu-Ugly One & Two 

I love my company logo! 

McLean, 14  Ellio, 12 

William, 8  Lauren  Me 

 

Last, if I don’t write, I get frustrated. And if I’m not wring and have to watch bu -ugly dogs

run to the door thinking someone is there for them, I get really frustrated. So… I write, and

oen I’ll write with you in class. Right now, I’m at work on a novel.

I love reading your work except when I have to assign grades to papers. I don't believe wring

should be measured with As, Bs, Cs and so forth. I prefer to follow your thinking, help you

consider ideas for expanding it, and then sit back and watch you learn more about yourselves.

Unfortunately, I have to assign grades, so I do—on the basis of eort, your genuine desire to

improve, and your open-mindedness to trying new approaches in your work. I realize that no

two writers are alike, that each of you arrives in my classroom with dierent levels of experience, natural talent, and

knowledge of grammar and so forth. I have no expectaons of producing "perfect" writers. Again, grades are assigned by

where you start and how much eort you put into class. Many students earn B’s, some earn A’s, and others earn C’s. If you

put eort into the class and follow instrucons about aendance and homework and due dates, you’ll at least earn a B. I

think of a B as an exceponal grade.  

Perhaps you would rather eat an ant hill (dirt and all) than write. This also makes me like teaching. To me, we've had success

if, at the least, you've enjoyed coming to class and learned that wring doesn't have to be as bad as eang an ant hill (dirt

and all). Enough of school stu and more about me.  

When I'm not teaching or wring, I spend me with my family. I also mountain bike, hike, coach soccer almost year -round,

read good books, travel, serve on various boards for non -prot organizaons with important missions. I’m a deacon at Myers

Park Bapst, a liberal church that’s arming of all people. Like most of us, I’m full of

contradicons: laid back yet compeve, funny yet serious, joyful yet willing to be sad,

grateful to have friends yet happy alone...the list goes on. Our theme this semester will be

about who we are as people online compared to/in addion to who we are in person. I’m

excited about this topic because I’m so curious to know more about who I project myself to be

online and to compare that to who I project myself to be in dierent environments in person.

We’ll talk more about the theme later.  

Call me what makes you most comfortable this semester: Malcolm, Professor Campbell, Mr. C,

Big (or Lile) Dawg. Make up your own nickname. (I’ve been known to do this for students.)

UNCC calls me Professor Campbell so don’t be surprised if you ask for me in the First Year

Wring Department, and they say, “Who? We don’t have a Big Dawg here.”  

I’m excited to get to know you through your wring and me in my class. I'm approachable and am here to help. The only

student I cannot help is the one who doesn’t ask for help...or the one who asks for help at the last minute.

Now, it's your turn to write a leer to me. I can’t wait to read it.

See you round the river bend,

Malcolm