Tracy Seeley

Tracy Seeley is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of San Francisco. She is the namesake of the Tracy Seeley Center for Teaching Excellence, reflecting her contributions to pedagogical innovation. Her teaching focuses on literature courses for both English majors and non-majors, emphasizing writing improvement through structured, frequent feedback. Dr. Seeley pioneered a one-paragraph exercise method, requiring students to write analytical paragraphs weekly to build foundational writing skills incrementally. This approach prioritizes targeted feedback on clarity, evidence integration, and focus, enabling iterative skill development across diverse student populations.

Her research interests center on effective teaching strategies, particularly strategies to enhance student writing and engagement. She employs rubrics and peer-reviewed student examples to clarify expectations and normalize revision processes. Dr. Seeley also emphasizes the importance of early, frequent practice to build confidence and competence, especially for students less confident in writing-intensive disciplines. Her work has been featured in institutional podcasts discussing pedagogy, such as discussions on mindfulness in the classroom and collaborative teaching initiatives.

As part of the Center for Teaching Excellence leadership, she collaborates with faculty to refine instructional practices, as seen in interviews with colleagues like Monika Hudson and Kevin Lo. Her methods aim to address systemic challenges in writing education while fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments.