She was the best teacher I ever had. A woman who was nothing like me, but one I could relate to in so many ways. She challenged me in my thinking and learning, learned to foster my unique contributions in class, and she did not hesitate to share information about her own learning during our time together. Teaching has that ability- to foster new ideas by celebrating diverse points of view, drawing many learners to the table of education. 

From my high school teacher and mentor, I learned a lot about the kind of professor I would aspire to be. I realized that genuine exchanges between teacher and student were profoundly important to student learning. I also discovered that transformational learning can happen for a variety of reasons, including a number of factors that extend far beyond the subject matter. Because of her, deeply embedded in my core is a student-centered education in which ethics are critical, status quo is restrained, and opportunities to connect inside and outside of the classroom are woven throughout nearly every course I teach. 

Teaching is a Privilege 

To me, teaching is a privilege. I believe that one of the qualities of a professor is to establish relationships with students. Recognizing that student needs will be different, some relational support will directly relate to disciplinary knowledge while other support will involve general learning such as critical thinking and personal development. This attitude contributes to my personal initiative to involve students in frequent, thoughtful classroom discussions to which I am a genuine and active participant. When possible, I also try to meet one-on-one with students to discuss personal and course-related goals. Over time, I have come to realize this privilege more and more. I began my teaching as a traditional lecturer in which content and assessment were my most important objectives. Soon thereafter I discovered that this was not the teacher I wanted be. I desired interaction, active learning, student development, and an exchange of ideas. I finally acknowledged that I was the only one preventing this classroom experience. To become the change that I desired, I began to advise student groups, serve as the advisor for extracurricular student initiatives, attended faculty development workshops, scholarly conferences, and developed new skills to be used directly with students, something I still do today.

In addition to establishing relationships with students, I value in-depth learning and critical thinking. When structuring a course, I attempt combine multiple mediums of content delivery such as discussion, activities, lecture, and technology. My goals for instruction are two-fold. First, my goal is that students engage with the material and become active participants in the scholarly community of learners. Second, my desire is that students would become critical thinkers. I often incorporate current event issues in class. Students are asked to make meaning of the world around them. To ascertain the effectiveness of my teaching I have utilized mid-term evaluations and one minute reflection journals. One of my greatest strengths in teaching is my ability to alter a course based on this type of feedback that I have received from my students.

Diversity

For the most part, my view of teaching as a privilege rests on my belief that people are in continual stages of learning and that the diversity of students adds richly to the classroom environment. Diversity is more than a distant ideal. As an international service worker, I have lived and worked in eight countries around the world. I have witnessed first-hand the harsh effects of racial tensions and injustices, some overt and others subtle. In addition, my dissertation research focused on American workers in the international workplace explored the psychological, educational, and social difficulties that happen when diversity is not a critical component of cross-cultural training. The numerous international experiences have enhanced my respect for diversity in people, places, and ways of thinking. It seems as though diversity is the underlying cord that challenges me and sharpens me in numerous areas. For example, it was through my civic work in the Dominican Republic that provided an initial understanding of culture as well as the needs of the Hispanic population which I use in daily encounters in my local community.  I am consistently challenged through diversity in higher education as well.

Domestically, I have also worked with vastly divergent populations, both inside and outside the classroom. From permeating strong traditions in the South to exploring new cultures in a college classroom, I am reminded that diversity and inclusion must remain intentional components of how I approach teaching. Through first-hand experience in a number of different contexts, I am often noted as the professor who has students to bring a position forward and then test it in an unfamiliar environment. For example, I once had students create a marketing campaign and then send it to a counterpart across the country to test its influence with diverse populations. The incredible life experiences follow me whether in the classroom, serving on a committee, or engaging in community service. Diversity is more than a buzz word, it is a perspective that I hold dear. I desire to continue sharing my diverse experiences and ideas in and outside the classroom.

In every new project and venture, in each opportunity to share about my experiences, I am reminded and encouraged by the teacher who started it all, Sharon Hubbard.  Perhaps, I will never stop being a learner. Certainly, my continuous learning incites my growing development as a professor. Through countless exchanges with my students, a passion for my research, and by embracing my position as one privileged to teach, I continue to strive toward being the kind of professor I always hoped I’d become- an authentic, passionate, knowledgeable change agent to the students I serve.