My main goals as a teacher are not only to ensure that students have a better understanding of material, but also to help students realize their academic potential and passions by creating a comfortable learning environment that combines hands-on group activities and individual writing assignments. I help students do this by fostering a rigorous yet comfortable environment where students can learn through hard work and never feel hesitant to seek further help. One way I do this is by developing several different kinds of group activities. For example, I have designed a simulation about democratic transitions in developing states. Students are given details of a fictitious country, and, after reading various news-briefs, the students work in small groups to manage the transition to democracy. Students also learn to think about how to work within a country that has different ethnic/religious groups with contentious histories. Topics like corruption and the threat of coups and weak institutions are discussed during this activity. Students have a chance to think critically about why transitioning and consolidating a democracy may be difficult for a country.
I view diversity in the classroom as an opportunity for students to learn from one another and I believe that a comfortable class environment facilitates targeting learning, that will lead to more equity in the classroom. For example, I encourage students to improve their verbal communication skills and exchange ideas through group activities, which motivates students to engage and collaborate with others from diverse backgrounds and political beliefs. I have seen how these exchanges help students to think critically about their own arguments and beliefs, especially when they are applied to a non-U.S. context. I believe that in-class group activities facilitate learning and provide a safe-zone for the exchange of diverse ideas and opinions, while out-of-class individual assignments are necessary for improving writing and researching skills. My goal for writing assignments is to let students gain a politically informed global outlook while developing their own passions and potential through the writing experience.
For one research assignment I designed, students are asked to analyze whether the electoral system of a country of their choosing is appropriate given the social cleavages present. The assignment helps students realize why some groups may be under-represented. It also allows students to understand themes regarding minority status outside a U.S. context. I find that students learn best when they work collaboratively with me on their drafts and revisions. I ask students to submit a first full draft of the paper mid-semester in order to receive feedback. In addition to written feedback, I schedule individual meetings with each student to discuss their papers. I have realized that providing advice and focusing on each student’s strengths and weaknesses encourages students to improve their work and build on their interests.
My path to becoming a professor has taught me to not treat or view students as a monolithic bloc. Rather, I understand that each student’s unique background and experiences necessitate individualized attention and support. This implies flexibly from myself with the understanding that students come to class with varied biases, identities, and backgrounds. Therefore, I strive not only to help students leave my courses with a more nuanced understating of Political Science, but also help students realize their previously undiscovered strengths and academic interests by fostering a supportive environment. In many cases, students meet with me after taking my class to talk about becoming a political science major because of what they have learned in group activities in class or what they individually discovered in writing exercises. Knowing that I can help a student discover their own interests and perhaps make their academic futures clearer is personally one of the most rewarding aspects to teaching.