TEACHING STATEMENT
My teaching is informed by the belief that my role is to teach students, not content. What I mean by this is not that course material, learning outcomes, and curricula don't matter, or that students shouldn't learn the information they need to succeed. Rather, my approach places students and their diverse abilities, needs, perspectives, and positionalities at the center of my teaching practice. I encourage students to draw connections between course materials and the world around them, and to take ownership of their learning process. My goal is to teach students how to think deeply and critically. In prioritizing students, I aim to facilitate and create learning environments that are inclusive, responsive, and academically rich and engaging.
My approach to teaching is informed by my own experience as an undergraduate at a liberal arts work college, where every student worked at least 15 hours a week on campus to support and maintain operations and reduce the cost of tuition. Students at work colleges are encouraged to integrate their experiences working in positions like Motorpool, Auto Shop, Locksmithing, or the Social Science Crew (my own work positions) with their academic pursuits and wider community engagement. This hands-on, experiential approach - sometimes referred to as "work-learning-service" - provides a foundation for exploration, critical thinking, and a commitment to learning something from every experience, no matter the setting. Although I now teach at a research-intensive public university, I strive to bring this perspective to my pedagogy in the hopes that students will apply the skills they develop in the classroom to their everyday lives and their experiences within and beyond the university setting, and to bring their own observations from the world around them into the classroom.
PEDAGOGY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
I consider teaching a process and a practice that requires continuous learning, reflection, and development. I have sought out opportunities to further craft my pedagogical approach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through teaching seminars, learning communities for educators, and, most importantly, opportunities to work directly with students in teaching, advising, and service roles.
2022-2023
DISCUSSION PROJECT + DISCUSSION PROJECT STUDY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Professional learning course focused on creating welcoming, engaging, and academically rigorous classroom environments. Participated in year-long Discussion Project Measures Study, as well as a 3-day intensive course developed by the School of Education focused on developing skills in leading high-quality small- and large-group discussions in undergraduate and graduate classrooms. Topics included creating an equitable and inclusive classroom climate conducive to high quality discussion, crafting questions that foster engagement, and different ways to structure and facilitate discussion. Drew on the most recent research on classroom discussions in higher education. Study included classroom observations throughout the year as well as surveys about instruction (completed by students and the instructor).
Summer 2022
SOAR GRADUATE ADVISOR
WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Professional role focused on advising incoming first-year, transfer, and international students on course selection and enrollment, as well as providing support to new students navigating the university system and connecting students with campus resources. Worked individually and with a team of undergraduate peer and professional advisors in group and individual advising sessions.
2021-2022
GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION ARTS,
MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES REPRESENTATIVE
Year-long service position focused on representing the interests and needs of graduate students by attending faculty meetings, acting as an intermediary between faculty and graduate students, and assisting in welcoming and acclimating new graduate students to the Communication Arts Department.
Fall 2021
BEYOND RHETORIC: CREATING AN ETHICAL AND EQUITABLE PRACTICE
DELTA PROGRAM IN RESEARCH, TEACHING, AND LEARNING
Semester-long course focused on developing and putting into action teaching practices that promote justice through abolitionist, anti-racist, radical, critical, and feminist pedagogies. This course utilized case studies and experiential learning to move beyond the rhetoric of diversity, equity, and inclusion with the goal of putting justice into practice in everyday teaching contexts.
Spring 2021
EXPLORING PRACTICES IN THE CLASSROOM: REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING
DELTA PROGRAM IN RESEARCH, TEACHING, AND LEARNING
Semester-long course focused on evidence-based best teaching practices in remote learning environments, including building an inclusive learning community, facilitating group dynamics and effective discussions, providing feedback aligned with learning objectives, active learning strategies, implementing universal design principles, and supporting students in distress and addressing academic concerns.