Teaching Philosophy
I find I am most effective in the classroom when I balance supporting students and challenging them. Over the 10+ years I’ve been teaching, I have fine-tuned a pedagogy that centers investment, relevance, inclusion, and rigor as four central values important for effective teaching. I’ve used this pedagogy to teach at a community college, a teaching college, and a research university. I believe firmly that while students come from a variety of backgrounds, all are capable of learning.
This brief teaching portfolio includes information about my work and samples of syllabi, videos, and other materials.
Teaching History
Instructor, UC Davis
Crossing Waters, Crossing Worlds: Black and Indigenous Resistance, Native American Studies, Winter 2021 (First Year Seminar)
Black and Indigenous Histories and Futures in the Caribbean, Native American Studies, Fall 2020 (co-taught First Year Seminar)
Lecturer, Sacramento State University
Introduction to Pan-African Studies, Ethnic Studies, Spring 2021
Introduction to Ethnic Studies, Ethnic Studies, Fall 2020
Black Images in Popular Culture, Ethnic Studies, Spring 2020
Teaching Assistant, UC Davis
Cultural Representations of Gender, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, Fall 2019
Introduction to Critical Gender Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, Spring 2019
Women in African Societies, African American and African Studies, Winter 2019
Black Images in Popular Culture, African American and African Studies, Fall 2018
English Instructor, Diablo Valley College
College Writing Development, English, Fall 2016
Integrated College Reading and Writing Development, English, Spring 2016
College Reading Development, English, Fall 2015/Fall 2016
Teaching Assistant, Mills College
Rhetoric and Composition for the College Writer, English, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
Beginning Fiction for Children and Young Adults Workshop, English, Spring 2015
Topics in Creative Non-Fiction Prose: Memoirs of Rebel Girls, English, Spring 2015
Community Creative Writing courses, self-employed
Stakes in Story, Instructor at the Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland, 2021
The Wonderland of Myth, Instructor, 2016
Characters for Social Action, Instructor, 2016
Dreaming Wakefulness Collective Weekend Seminar, Co-Director, 2016
Sample Syllabi
Here are syllabi from past courses I taught:
Skills Lab Videos
In order to help students close gaps in their knowledge and academic skills, I assign weekly “Skills Lab” informal assignments. Some of the skills covered each semester include: setting SMART goals, active reading, note taking, utilizing library resources, and more. For some of the Skills Labs, I created custom videos to ensure all students have the skills they need for success in the classroom and beyond.