My teaching philosophy is to guide and support each student based on their diverse backgrounds and interests. I also have a strong commitment to mentorship and diversifying the academy. This commitment reflects not only my belief that diverse and inclusive teams produce better work, but also from my experiences as a first-generation American, high-school dropout, and first-generation college student. I seek to empower students with the ability to critically assess and, in some cases, create their own knowledge. Depending on the student and course level, my teaching philosophy places particular emphasis on providing political science knowledge to students within and outside of the discipline, introducing or refining transferable skills such as communication, critical thinking, and empirically oriented and evidence-based thinking, and training students to decipher how they view the world and the implications of that viewpoint for their understanding of it - all of which is evidenced by my syllabus, reviews (see below), and class discussions.
As a graduate student at Rice University, I taught my own course on civil wars and assisted with undergraduate introductory courses. In Civil Wars Poli 371, I wanted students to understand the scientific study of civil wars. Each student was directed to theoretically and empirically study specific topics on civil war processes and outcomes. Students were allowed to focus on one civil war throughout the semester to pull together the various concepts and theoretical frameworks learned in the class, while also gaining in-depth case knowledge. The most important goal of the course was to impart to students a solid understanding of theories and empirical evidence regarding the causes, conduct, termination, resolution, recurrence, and legacies of civil wars. I expected my students to outline five questions when engaging in short papers and presentations: (1) What is the research question? (2) Why do you care? (3) Why should we care (e.g., what is the puzzle)? (4) What is the proposed solution to the puzzle? (5) With empirical evidence do you agree or disagree? My favorite light-bulb moment with students was when they transitioned from telling me what the research says to asking questions about why it says what it says, and, in some cases, providing alternative explanations for some phenomena. I believe this allowed them to systematically develop transferable skills related to communication, critical thinking, and empirically oriented and evidence-based thinking.
I am enthusiastic to teach courses as dictated by the program's needs. To differentiate between undergraduate and graduate student requirements the assignments would vary in terms of type and length. I have a flexible teaching style that incorporates the course’s level. I also consider the diversity of students’ backgrounds. My lower-level courses emphasize learning the field’s vocabulary, while my mid-level courses focus on identifying ways that knowledge has been created, critical thinking about whether the study does what it says it does, and logic behind the theoretical argument. My upper-level courses place even greater emphasis on the appropriateness of research design and how scientific knowledge should be created.
While I am passionate about research, I am also passionate about teaching and mentorship. I have a unique insight into varying educational and professional tracks. This insight allows me to advise a range of students in their academic and non-academic interests. Moving forward, I hope to continue teaching and mentoring students. I hope to guide, support, and empower each student to embark on their own intellectual endeavors and establish successful career paths.
As a graduate student at Rice University, I taught my own course on civil wars and assisted with undergraduate introductory courses. In Civil Wars Poli 371, I wanted students to understand the scientific study of civil wars. Each student was directed to theoretically and empirically study specific topics on civil war processes and outcomes. Students were allowed to focus on one civil war throughout the semester to pull together the various concepts and theoretical frameworks learned in the class, while also gaining in-depth case knowledge. The most important goal of the course was to impart to students a solid understanding of theories and empirical evidence regarding the causes, conduct, termination, resolution, recurrence, and legacies of civil wars. I expected my students to outline five questions when engaging in short papers and presentations: (1) What is the research question? (2) Why do you care? (3) Why should we care (e.g., what is the puzzle)? (4) What is the proposed solution to the puzzle? (5) With empirical evidence do you agree or disagree? My favorite light-bulb moment with students was when they transitioned from telling me what the research says to asking questions about why it says what it says, and, in some cases, providing alternative explanations for some phenomena. I believe this allowed them to systematically develop transferable skills related to communication, critical thinking, and empirically oriented and evidence-based thinking.
I am enthusiastic to teach courses as dictated by the program's needs. To differentiate between undergraduate and graduate student requirements the assignments would vary in terms of type and length. I have a flexible teaching style that incorporates the course’s level. I also consider the diversity of students’ backgrounds. My lower-level courses emphasize learning the field’s vocabulary, while my mid-level courses focus on identifying ways that knowledge has been created, critical thinking about whether the study does what it says it does, and logic behind the theoretical argument. My upper-level courses place even greater emphasis on the appropriateness of research design and how scientific knowledge should be created.
While I am passionate about research, I am also passionate about teaching and mentorship. I have a unique insight into varying educational and professional tracks. This insight allows me to advise a range of students in their academic and non-academic interests. Moving forward, I hope to continue teaching and mentoring students. I hope to guide, support, and empower each student to embark on their own intellectual endeavors and establish successful career paths.
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