My teaching centers on building rapport in the classroom, encouraging students to actively participate in their education, and engaging students in critical thinking. To facilitate students’ learning experiences I find connections to make course content relevant to students, incorporate a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in the classroom, and introduce multiple theoretical perspectives for students to use as tools to analyze the world around them.
Building Relationships
I believe building rapport in the classroom is crucial to creating an open space for the exchange of ideas. I develop relationships with students by encouraging open discussions, being approachable and available, and by respecting students’ insights on material. I emphasize the importance of learning from each other by encouraging students to share their experiences and perspectives as we examine new material. I talk about listening to others’ voices and respectful disagreement. I use icebreaker and small group activities to help students build connections with one another. In Critical Reading and Reasoning which is an intensive summer course for first generation freshman, I structure in time for students to meet and learn about their classmates. Additionally I assign students to different groups throughout the semester, giving them an opportunity to interact and collaborate with others. When students seek my advice, I direct them to useful resources which will help them make informed decisions. Students have asked for my advice when selecting future courses. I will help students investigate what types of courses would be best suited for their interests and career paths. Through Field Experience in Sociology, I worked closely mentoring a couple of students who were considering future careers in sociology. At Butler and in some of my smaller courses at IU, I often meet with students one-on-one to ask how they are adjusting to university life, the semester, and questions they may have about my courses. These meetings generally let students know I’m available to talk and willing to listen. I demonstrate to students that I respect their ideas and value their contributions by incorporating the images, video clips, or articles they send me into classroom discussions. For example in my Gender Roles class, one student sent me a photograph of a mannequin with exaggerated bustline from her vacation to Key West. With her permission, I shared it with the class as a way to discuss how body image ideals may vary regionally and culturally.
Encouraging Active Participation
I encourage students to become active participants in their education by making the content relevant to them and by engaging different learning styles with the incorporation of multiple approaches to teaching and learning. In order to demonstrate the real life applicability of sociological topics, I integrate visual images from current events, media sources, and film into my courses. I use film clips as tools to help develop students’ analytical abilities and engage them in a dialogue. I ask students to tell me how images and current events relate to the course. I ask them to make connections between sociological concepts/theories and their daily lives through discussion and in writing responses. Beyond simply making connections, I also push them to reexamine their taken for granted assumptions. I hope students will be able to apply everything we learn in the course to their own context. I find that there are two benefits to analyzing media: students’ written work improves after engaging in concept application discussions and their general level of interest in the subject matter seems to increase.
I incorporate images and examples from news media into discussions and lectures to demonstrate the lived experiences of inequalities. Some students in Race and Ethnic Relations express doubts over the current existence of racism; they are quick to locate racial discrimination as something from the past. To address this misconception, I incorporate examples of cultural objects that are significant to students. During the fall, I ask them to analyze Halloween costumes for messages about race and gender. Students point out the ways that costumes are problematic, but suggest that the costumes are too exaggerated and not worn because of the blatantly racist content. When I show them news articles covering racial discrimination in college students’ choices of theme parties, the ideas seem to resonate with my students as realistic. By bring these images and topics into the classroom, I am able to get students to develop an understanding that racism and discrimination are very much part of today’s society, which enables them to begin challenging actions and behaviors they previously overlooked.
Another way I encourage students’ participation in the classroom is by utilizing multiple approaches to teaching and learning. I do this by employing various mechanisms, such as lectures, discussions, group work, presentations, in class writings, and activities, to convey knowledge. Rather than being the only voice dominating the classroom, I require students to discuss topics and teach material to one other through presentations and groupwork, which requires them to become active participants in learning. I find that using multiple approaches to learning builds the confidence of students who may excel in one area over others. Alternating the types of activities in the classroom allows for the recognition of students’ various strengths and promotes critical thinking. For instance in The Family, I assign students to groups and require group members to engage in a debate in front of the class by highlighting the pros and cons of the “hot topic” issue. In addition to the assigned readings, students must bring in external resources to support their arguments. Group members learn to work together as they organize the material and develop arguments. Within this assignment I get students who prefer to work alone to engage with others. Aside from understanding the pros and cons of a particular issue, this activity provides students an opportunity to work together and learn from one another that social life is complex and there are multiple ways to examine a situation. Several students mentioned the debate activity made them reevaluate some of their initial attitudes.
Engaging Students in Critical Thinking
I strive to create a supportive environment that fosters critical thinking by drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives in the classroom. By critical thinking, I mean gaining a nuanced understanding of sociological concepts and demonstrating the ability to apply these concepts in new contexts. For example in Introduction to Sociology, I find that film clips offer a powerful force for students’ understandings of poverty. I show clips from the documentary People Like Us: Social Class in America and I find the relationship between social inequalities and access to resources, such as groceries, resonates with students as they relate images from the film to their own personal experiences. Students typically comment on how inexpensive or sale food items are not healthy, which creates a situation where people from low income households may not be receiving proper nutrition. After identifying how this impacts those that can afford healthcare the least, students often express outrage and realize the impact of social class differences on individual outcomes.
Additionally, I push students to recognize the power of social constructions in all my courses, consider the intersections of multiple social locations and examine systems of social inequality through writing assignments and activities. I cover multiple theoretical perspectives in my classes and ask students to draw on these frameworks to explain various perceptions of social life, which requires students to apply their understanding of these ideas to new contexts. For instance in Gender Roles, along with sociological explanations of gender I introduce biological, psychological, and cultural explanations, asking students to determine what perspective various authors are using in their texts. When discussing feminism, I explain the historical context in which the different types of feminism emerge and introduce students to the variation in the ideas and political goals of different feminist perspectives. One way I create an environment that utilizes multiple theoretical perspectives, is to be aware of what ideas are resonating with students and challenge them to think outside of their comfort zone. At times when students appear to be drawing from only one particular perspective or point of view, I pose questions like “What would those who oppose that statement say?” and “What are some of the counter arguments?” In doing this my objective is to provide a voice for students whose ideas are not dominantly being expressed. I find that this approach reminds students that there are alternative views than their own without singling out an individual student as a representative of this position. On evaluations, students acknowledge the benefits of this approach. One student shared that by the end of the semester, he learned “analyze the text and find out what the author really means.”
The three key principles that guide my teaching involve: creating an educational space centered on mutual respect, encouraging active learning, and developing critical thinking. In the future, I will continue to convey material in a way that generates interest in the subject matter, facilitating students’ ability to learn key concepts and apply them outside of the classroom. To achieve these objectives, I will continue to create a classroom environment that utilizes various approaches to teaching and learning which will reach students with different learning styles. I will keep students engaged by making subject matter relevant to their lives and continue to introduce multiple perspectives in the classroom so that multiple voices are conveyed.
Building Relationships
I believe building rapport in the classroom is crucial to creating an open space for the exchange of ideas. I develop relationships with students by encouraging open discussions, being approachable and available, and by respecting students’ insights on material. I emphasize the importance of learning from each other by encouraging students to share their experiences and perspectives as we examine new material. I talk about listening to others’ voices and respectful disagreement. I use icebreaker and small group activities to help students build connections with one another. In Critical Reading and Reasoning which is an intensive summer course for first generation freshman, I structure in time for students to meet and learn about their classmates. Additionally I assign students to different groups throughout the semester, giving them an opportunity to interact and collaborate with others. When students seek my advice, I direct them to useful resources which will help them make informed decisions. Students have asked for my advice when selecting future courses. I will help students investigate what types of courses would be best suited for their interests and career paths. Through Field Experience in Sociology, I worked closely mentoring a couple of students who were considering future careers in sociology. At Butler and in some of my smaller courses at IU, I often meet with students one-on-one to ask how they are adjusting to university life, the semester, and questions they may have about my courses. These meetings generally let students know I’m available to talk and willing to listen. I demonstrate to students that I respect their ideas and value their contributions by incorporating the images, video clips, or articles they send me into classroom discussions. For example in my Gender Roles class, one student sent me a photograph of a mannequin with exaggerated bustline from her vacation to Key West. With her permission, I shared it with the class as a way to discuss how body image ideals may vary regionally and culturally.
Encouraging Active Participation
I encourage students to become active participants in their education by making the content relevant to them and by engaging different learning styles with the incorporation of multiple approaches to teaching and learning. In order to demonstrate the real life applicability of sociological topics, I integrate visual images from current events, media sources, and film into my courses. I use film clips as tools to help develop students’ analytical abilities and engage them in a dialogue. I ask students to tell me how images and current events relate to the course. I ask them to make connections between sociological concepts/theories and their daily lives through discussion and in writing responses. Beyond simply making connections, I also push them to reexamine their taken for granted assumptions. I hope students will be able to apply everything we learn in the course to their own context. I find that there are two benefits to analyzing media: students’ written work improves after engaging in concept application discussions and their general level of interest in the subject matter seems to increase.
I incorporate images and examples from news media into discussions and lectures to demonstrate the lived experiences of inequalities. Some students in Race and Ethnic Relations express doubts over the current existence of racism; they are quick to locate racial discrimination as something from the past. To address this misconception, I incorporate examples of cultural objects that are significant to students. During the fall, I ask them to analyze Halloween costumes for messages about race and gender. Students point out the ways that costumes are problematic, but suggest that the costumes are too exaggerated and not worn because of the blatantly racist content. When I show them news articles covering racial discrimination in college students’ choices of theme parties, the ideas seem to resonate with my students as realistic. By bring these images and topics into the classroom, I am able to get students to develop an understanding that racism and discrimination are very much part of today’s society, which enables them to begin challenging actions and behaviors they previously overlooked.
Another way I encourage students’ participation in the classroom is by utilizing multiple approaches to teaching and learning. I do this by employing various mechanisms, such as lectures, discussions, group work, presentations, in class writings, and activities, to convey knowledge. Rather than being the only voice dominating the classroom, I require students to discuss topics and teach material to one other through presentations and groupwork, which requires them to become active participants in learning. I find that using multiple approaches to learning builds the confidence of students who may excel in one area over others. Alternating the types of activities in the classroom allows for the recognition of students’ various strengths and promotes critical thinking. For instance in The Family, I assign students to groups and require group members to engage in a debate in front of the class by highlighting the pros and cons of the “hot topic” issue. In addition to the assigned readings, students must bring in external resources to support their arguments. Group members learn to work together as they organize the material and develop arguments. Within this assignment I get students who prefer to work alone to engage with others. Aside from understanding the pros and cons of a particular issue, this activity provides students an opportunity to work together and learn from one another that social life is complex and there are multiple ways to examine a situation. Several students mentioned the debate activity made them reevaluate some of their initial attitudes.
Engaging Students in Critical Thinking
I strive to create a supportive environment that fosters critical thinking by drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives in the classroom. By critical thinking, I mean gaining a nuanced understanding of sociological concepts and demonstrating the ability to apply these concepts in new contexts. For example in Introduction to Sociology, I find that film clips offer a powerful force for students’ understandings of poverty. I show clips from the documentary People Like Us: Social Class in America and I find the relationship between social inequalities and access to resources, such as groceries, resonates with students as they relate images from the film to their own personal experiences. Students typically comment on how inexpensive or sale food items are not healthy, which creates a situation where people from low income households may not be receiving proper nutrition. After identifying how this impacts those that can afford healthcare the least, students often express outrage and realize the impact of social class differences on individual outcomes.
Additionally, I push students to recognize the power of social constructions in all my courses, consider the intersections of multiple social locations and examine systems of social inequality through writing assignments and activities. I cover multiple theoretical perspectives in my classes and ask students to draw on these frameworks to explain various perceptions of social life, which requires students to apply their understanding of these ideas to new contexts. For instance in Gender Roles, along with sociological explanations of gender I introduce biological, psychological, and cultural explanations, asking students to determine what perspective various authors are using in their texts. When discussing feminism, I explain the historical context in which the different types of feminism emerge and introduce students to the variation in the ideas and political goals of different feminist perspectives. One way I create an environment that utilizes multiple theoretical perspectives, is to be aware of what ideas are resonating with students and challenge them to think outside of their comfort zone. At times when students appear to be drawing from only one particular perspective or point of view, I pose questions like “What would those who oppose that statement say?” and “What are some of the counter arguments?” In doing this my objective is to provide a voice for students whose ideas are not dominantly being expressed. I find that this approach reminds students that there are alternative views than their own without singling out an individual student as a representative of this position. On evaluations, students acknowledge the benefits of this approach. One student shared that by the end of the semester, he learned “analyze the text and find out what the author really means.”
The three key principles that guide my teaching involve: creating an educational space centered on mutual respect, encouraging active learning, and developing critical thinking. In the future, I will continue to convey material in a way that generates interest in the subject matter, facilitating students’ ability to learn key concepts and apply them outside of the classroom. To achieve these objectives, I will continue to create a classroom environment that utilizes various approaches to teaching and learning which will reach students with different learning styles. I will keep students engaged by making subject matter relevant to their lives and continue to introduce multiple perspectives in the classroom so that multiple voices are conveyed.
