I have had the opportunity to act as an instructor, a course assistant, and a lecturer for a number of graduate and undergraduate courses in Psychology, Applied Statistics, Mathematics, Public Health Nutrition, and Social Work. I have also had the opportunity to mentor junior scholars in several of these same programs.
These experiences have shown me that no two students learn in exactly the same way, and that each subject presents unique challenges to higher learning. Yet the tools needed by students to be successful are remarkably consistent across discipline – clear and fair expectations for high quality work, responsive and accessible instructors, meaningful connections between the course content and their lived experiences, and opportunities to engage with the material in a wide variety of ways. In many of my classrooms, lectures are transformed with small-group activities and opportunities to lead discussion, and students hone their skills in offering and accepting peer critique on their written work. My pedagogy is rooted in social justice, and I seek to build an inclusive and inquisitive classroom community that places a high value on the co-construction of knowledge.
I have also had the pleasure of teaching and coaching parents in childbirth education and successful breastfeeding and pumping. Here I’ve relied on the hands-on experiences and skills I’ve gained as opposed to a specific pedagogy – though I still strive for inclusivity and co-creation of knowledge, and I still set high expectations for myself as a responsive and sensitive instructor.
In sum, I aim to provide my students, mentees, and clients with the skills and knowledge to critically consume and act on what they are told, as well as to respectfully respond with well-reasoned insight, regardless of whether that information comes from an academic institution, a physician, the media, a politician, or a dinner party guest.