Courses Taught:

            My philosophy of teaching is informed by critical engagement and fairness, as I strive to create a learning environment that is equitable for all. I think that the best learning takes place when students are active participants in the process.

            My approach to teaching is begins with centering my students. In order to foster a conducive learning environment where they feel comfortable to engage with the material and their peers, it is imperative that I take an active interest in understanding who they are as individuals and how this course applies to their future goals. In my Principles of Speech course, I do this through my daily questions. On the surface, these questions engage them in the class from the first week by forcing them to answer in front of the class; however, they also serve to allow me to better understand them as people from aspirations to what they find interesting. With this knowledge, I am able to better curate parts of the course to feature content that resonates and is reflective of the class body to facilitate engagement from everyone. 

            Beyond simply lecturing to my students, I believe that creating an interactive learning environment is essential for critical engagement. The use of methods such as discussions, activities, and demonstrations allow for students to reinforce the concepts and ideas that they are reading and practically apply them. Moreover, I allow for students to use these activities and demonstrations as means to take charge of their learning, with me providing support and guidance to ensure that they stay on track. As mentioned, I implement this in my classes from week one. I want my students to know that they are taking on an active role in their learning and feel empowered by that to engage with their peers and instructor confidently and comfortably.

            I believe that fairness and consistency are crucial in any learning environment. Having only taught at institutions with majority diverse student bodies, it is important to me that my students know that they are all equal and no one is less than. I make sure that grading standards are consistent for everyone. By having a culture of fairness and consistency woven into the class from the onset, it makes it easier for students to adapt to expectations and govern themselves accordingly.

            My experiences teaching Principles of Speech and Sociology of Gender have shown me that transparency in my passion for the material directly correlates to how engaged students will be in the class. Students can feel an instructor’s enthusiasm for the class and that impacts their own interest level in the material. I have found that the level of excitement that I bring into a class can be contagious and spread to my students, making for a dynamic learning environment. 

            As a professor, my overall goal is to cultivate a learning environment where students feel empowered to critically engage with the material and in the class.