Teaching Philosophy
Attention to process
Every assignment has a unique arch, but what most have in common is a diamond-shaped process. We start with an idea, which we expand through research and brainstorming. Then we narrow the focus down by making difficult choices of paths to take and ones not to pursue. Each stage of the process presents cognitive and affective challenges. I believe in making students aware of the process and offering support at any stage of their work.
Design of real-life assignments
I think that assignments designed to enact real-life situations allow students to connect course work to their life experiences and long-term plans. As a result, students realize the educational and personal relevance of the activities, approaching them with a great degree of self-motivation.
Commitment to service learning
Even though service learning can be hard to arrange and time-consuming to manage, I am convinced that having an outside audience for student projects helps many get truly invested in the work. Moreover, service learning takes the focus of course work outside of the classroom and into situations with unique affordances. I am committed to organizing service learning assignments as a way to allow for the realistic application of knowledge gained in the classroom.