Teaching PhilosophyThe learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot.- Audre Lorde
Identity is central to the facilitation of knowledge—not just my own but also my students’ identities. Epistemologically, I am a critical, anti-racist, feminist, queer, and interpretive sociologist. My epistemological identity significantly impacts my pedagogical propensities. Even though many students shy away from the word feminism, I opt to self-identify as feminist and explore throughout the semester what feminism is—no matter the class—as a way to examine why it is still important, what feminist sociologists do, and how critical scholarship is vital within and outside of academic study. I ask students to also interrogate the ways they self-identify in order to start developing a sociological standpoint. My classes are designed to apply larger theoretical concepts to empirical studies in order to help students develop abilities to be engaged citizens with strong, critical social scientific literacy while also engaging and understanding others’ experiences. Explorations of identities are central to my pedagogical passions and my teaching philosophy aims to develop critical tools, focus on reflexivity and context, sustain a classroom community, and use laughter as pedagogy.
Developing Critical Tools. It is imperative to prepare students with skills that will be useful in gaining and maintaining employment. For this reason, I place great emphasis on critical thinking skills and professionalization in the classroom. For example, while exposing students to critical thinking skills, I urge them to engage with current events, contentious topics, and issues of difference (such as race, class, gender, ability, ethnicities and sexualities). For instance, in my Inequalities in a Globalizing World course in the Honors College, I start the semester by having the students play the Titanic Game (Bowman 2008). During this process, they have an extraordinarily difficult time deciding what job and identity categories are allowed to gain entry onto the lifeboat, and those that are not. The students come face-to-face with their own biases and assumptions. Drawing from that activity, students make linkages to their own identities, assumptions about others, and inequalities by utilizing Crenshaw’s principal work on intersectionality (1991). Students use this moment to begin critiquing their everyday lives by questioning previous assumptions, considering alternate contexts, and devising solutions to inequalities. This skill allows students to think through difficult situations in their jobs by actively questioning previously held assumptions. These critical thinking skills become tools that students can utilize in order to become a competitive applicant in the job market. Focusing on Reflexivity and Context. Sociological concepts are abstract and may be difficult for students to relate to their lives. That is why I have students use their identities, experiences, and opinions to connect abstract concepts in ways that are meaningful to each individual. In the course Contemporary Social Problems, I ask students to summarize and analyze current events. The purpose of this exercise is two-fold; it allows the students a moment of reflexivity regarding their personal lives and allows them to focus on potential solutions to potential social problems. In addition to this, I regularly assign poetry or literature as ways to connect with students’ lives, pasts, and emotions; students respond viscerally to Rupi Kaur, Audre Lorde, and Gloria Anzaldua. They become impassioned about making the connections between current events and literary pieces assigned in the course. As it is vital for students to explore the application of Sociology in their own lives, it is also important that I, as an instructor, strive to show the same levels of reflexivity that I expect of the students. This means never asking students to share personal information that I would not share about myself, being transparent about my background, and freely employing amusing anecdotes in order to create a comfortable learning environment. Using reflexivity as a tool creates a stronger classroom community and allows students to connect with me as a mentor. Creating the Classroom Community. In my experience, a classroom environment is most productive when all students feel comfortable sharing their opinions and views. Sensitive topics are a central part of course content in many Sociology courses. It is also difficult for students to become comfortable with each other. As a way to get students engaged and comfortable in my introductory courses, I ask them to write music requests on the online discussion board; the only caveat is that the songs must be applicable to the day’s lesson. Encouraging students to express themselves throughout the course lecture allows students to get to know each other’s interests, music tastes, life experiences, and political opinions. Also, contemporary song lyrics help students to connect abstract topics, such as intersectionality, race, or, capitalism, among others, to their daily lives and passions while also allowing them space and time to better know one another. By doing this, I situate the course as one that creates an open and secure learning environment for all students. Laughter as Pedagogy. Complimenting the community environment I encourage in the classroom, I try to make my students more comfortable by using humor in my lectures. Students many times feel disconnected and bored during lecture-based classes. In introductory level classes, students may not be ready to explore the personal connection between their lives and Sociology. Humor helps bridge that gap by putting students at ease while keeping them engaged. A common way I do this is by incorporating relevant video clips from Saturday Night Live or A Black Lady Sketch Show. According to my evaluations students mention the course being dense with information that they had fun absorbing. Moving Toward Growth. I embrace the concept that there is always room for improvement. To improve my pedagogy, I have been working to incorporate technology as a way for students to connect better to course material. Students are increasingly “plugged in” and their dependence upon new technologies would be a worthwhile element to utilize as an advantage in the classroom. For instance, I would like to incorporate Twitter in a discussion assignment. I would ask the students to tweet a certain amount of original content, respond to scholars, and re-tweet issues related to the class. Using this kind of platform further connects students to Sociology and to one another. . Due to my pedagogical style and high evaluations, I had the honor of winning the University of South Florida Department of Sociology Distinguished Teaching Award in 2013. The Southern Sociological Society awarded my program the 2016 Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award for our teacher-training program. My teaching, however, is not stagnant and although I do not hold an official title as student I am always a student of social life. I learn from everyday life, interactions, and perhaps most importantly from my students. To be an effective teacher, one must continually reflect and evaluate pedagogical tools in order to share the relevance of Sociology with students. REFERENCES Bowman, John R. 2008. “Guided Fantasy: The Titanic Game.” Pp. 105- 108 in Sociology Through Active Learning: Student Exercises edited by Kathleen McKinney and Barbara S. Heyl. London: Sage Publications. Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Berkley: Crossing Press. |