Teaching

My pedagogy is rooted in Black feminism,  social transformation, and Trans Studies. Black feminist teaching creates a living learning community where all members have a role in co-curating a lively discussion.  I accomplish this in my classroom by using peer teaching, small group discussions, and student-led debates. Assignments in my courses heavily depend upon developing my student rhetorical facilities through writing and in-class presentations. I push my students to engage their ideas through developing the written voice. I pair this emphasis on writing by engaging digital scholarship. For example, in previous courses I have used both micro-blogging websites and Wikipedia assignments as a key part of student's grade. These assignments encourage my students to devise new arguments with class materials to weigh-in on contemporary social issues. During these assessments, my students  synthesize pop-culture, canonical feminist theory, and historical evidence to present compelling arguments.  I expand for my students what ‘counts’ as academic objects of study, I have found this approach empowers my student to approach writing as a necessary part of reflection about critical issues.              

 To become a more dynamic teacher I often revise and reflect on my teaching strategies. I keep detailed notes, revise my syllabi, and re-evaluate the texts and real-world examples I use in the classroom every time I teach. My ability to  learn and value from my students feedback ensures that every seminar has its own dynamic iteration. As a Black feminist teacher, I remain deeply engaged in history to meet the mandate of the present and that begins with a deep and unabiding investment in my students.