My Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy emphasizes creating an engaging, inclusive, and flexible learning environment for students, in which their unique identities and learning styles are not only accepted but also valued as part of an educational process extending beyond my classroom. I carry out this philosophy in a variety of ways. First, I actively create space for students to express themselves in order to demonstrate that I value their identities and experiences as relevant to our collective and individual learning, and so that they can connect who they are to the political content they learn about in the classes I teach. Second, I engage in a flexible and differentiated teaching praxis that reflects the unique and fluid needs of students, so that course structure is not a hinderance to student success. Finally, I prioritize transparency as integral to my student-centered approach to teaching, as this offers students a clear pathway to achieving learning objectives. In fostering this teaching philosophy, I have observed students become more skilled and more confident in drawing meaningful connections between course content and their daily lives, preparing them to successfully apply their international relations education to their future pursuits.