Learning environments can be incredibly impactful (good or bad). As educators, we have a responsibility to make sure all students feel empowered to learn, and, even, explore further! As an educator, I am committed to:

 

Creating an equitable, accessible classroom

This process requires continual reflection and adjustment. The geosciences are fraught with a history and current reality of racism and discrimination. The examples we choose to feature in our lessons, how we frame academic knowledge, and how we conduct our classrooms can all exacerbate or ameliorate these harms. In my classes, I acknowledge that academic knowledge is just one type of knowledge: there are other ways of knowing. I incorporate activities and examples that highlight a diversity of perspectives and support all learners. I solicit and incorporate student feedback because I know there is always room for improvement. ​

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Implementing student-centered design

Designing course should always start with the question: "What should students be able to do by the end of this course?" Although this might seem intuitive, it's a shift from the traditional method of teaching which asks, "What do I know that I think my students should know by the end of this course?". I am committed to student-centered (sometimes called "backward" course design). You can read more about this course design philosophy here.

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Teaching for lifelong learning

I remember very little content from my undergraduate chemistry courses (my most poignant memory is the phrase "I'm a nucleophile, and I'm okay!" set to the tune of Monty Python's "I'm a Lumberjack, and I'm okay!"). However, the ability to apply and synthesize chemical principles to an unexplained set of observations has stuck with me, and this problem solving, helps me to be a better scientist today. Students will inevitably forget some of the topics we teach them. In addition to content, I aim to teach students how to synthesize and apply information, problem solve, interpret sets of observations, and participate in their own learning.  

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Cultivating joy in the classroom 

Learning can be so happy-making, and I want to share that joy with students. I see no need for serious tone and archaic decorum in my classroom. I value fun! In our classroom, we have fun by bringing our authentic selves to the classroom, engaging in unique (but still educational) classroom activities, and enjoying a sense of levity whenever possible and appropriate. 

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