Teaching Philosophy
My courses are driven by a feminist pedagogy. Here, I am specifically influenced by black feminist scholars such as bell hooks and Audre Lorde, who have both stressed the importance of inclusivity, diversity, passion, and pleasure as integral parts of the learning experience for students and instructors. My philosophy begins with a set of goals and guidelines for the classroom:
As a feminist scholar, I aim to make my classroom a place of possibility and creativity. Students produce knowledge amongst themselves through critical discussions rather than only receiving knowledge from me. Using the Socratic method of open-ended, guided questions, I intend for students to rely upon one another and dialogic discussion to sift through the course materials. Open-ended questions allow students to begin with what they already know about a given subject. By beginning with students’ prior knowledge, they are able to see how learning and writing about literature are dynamic processes.
To ensure that this process is effective, students engage in a variety of activities in each class period to learn skills of self-assessment, reflection, critical analysis, and the use of students’ personal experiences as a resource for collaborative learning. For example, in my Rhetoric and Composition course, students complete informal reflections on their knowledge gained through each major assignment; free writes to be able to self-asses their writing progress and skills, as well as free writes to be able to engage with a safe space where they may express their thoughts and fears about our class and beyond; peer reviews with partners, groups, and anonymous reviewers; draft revisions; and large and small group work, among a number of other in-class activities. Furthermore, in my Technical Business Writing course, I implement projects that facilitate the theory and practice of diversity and inclusion such as group projects, engaging with multiple publics through website-building, podcast creating, and students’ choices of other creative outlets.
As I continue to grow in my pedagogical practices, I hope to further incorporate feminist teaching strategies into my classroom. I intend for my classroom to be an open space of diversity, creativity, and inclusion for students of all races, classes, genders, and abilities.
- Remain respectful and open-minded to new and different ideas posed in the classroom
- Engage critically with systems of oppression: sexism, racism, classism, ableism, etc.
- Remain in a state of active and critical thinking during the class period
- Apply materials and ideas discussed in class outside of the classroom
As a feminist scholar, I aim to make my classroom a place of possibility and creativity. Students produce knowledge amongst themselves through critical discussions rather than only receiving knowledge from me. Using the Socratic method of open-ended, guided questions, I intend for students to rely upon one another and dialogic discussion to sift through the course materials. Open-ended questions allow students to begin with what they already know about a given subject. By beginning with students’ prior knowledge, they are able to see how learning and writing about literature are dynamic processes.
To ensure that this process is effective, students engage in a variety of activities in each class period to learn skills of self-assessment, reflection, critical analysis, and the use of students’ personal experiences as a resource for collaborative learning. For example, in my Rhetoric and Composition course, students complete informal reflections on their knowledge gained through each major assignment; free writes to be able to self-asses their writing progress and skills, as well as free writes to be able to engage with a safe space where they may express their thoughts and fears about our class and beyond; peer reviews with partners, groups, and anonymous reviewers; draft revisions; and large and small group work, among a number of other in-class activities. Furthermore, in my Technical Business Writing course, I implement projects that facilitate the theory and practice of diversity and inclusion such as group projects, engaging with multiple publics through website-building, podcast creating, and students’ choices of other creative outlets.
As I continue to grow in my pedagogical practices, I hope to further incorporate feminist teaching strategies into my classroom. I intend for my classroom to be an open space of diversity, creativity, and inclusion for students of all races, classes, genders, and abilities.