Teaching

TEACHING

Experience

As a teaching assistant at the University of Texas, I taught undergraduate courses in epistemology, medical ethics, contemporary moral problems, and early modern philosophy. I have also worked as an adjunct instructor at Huston-Tillotson University, where I taught intro to philosophy and ethics. Prior to teaching undergraduates, I taught high school English in Baton Rouge, Louisiana through Teach for America. In Summer 2015 I taught Philosophy of Time at Duke University for the Duke Talent Identification Program.

Sample Syllabi:

Knowledge and Reality - A lower-level undergraduate course in epistemology.
Introduction to Philosophy of Race and Gender - A lower-level undergraduate course that explores canonical issues in philosophy through the lens of race and gender.
From Ethics to Epistemology - An upper-level undergraduate course or graduate-level seminar that explores contemporary debates at the intersections of ethics and epistemology.

Teaching Evaluations

Teaching Philosophy

The belief that learning occurs through discomfort guides my teaching practice. Being challenged makes students uncomfortable - but this discomfort fosters growth. To that end, I try to create a classroom environment in which students feel safe to express their ideas, and are open to being challenged by their peers.

My high-energy teaching style helps students feel relaxed and encourages them to be involved. Rather than lecturing, I often rely on classroom discussion, either in small groups or pairs, so that at all times students are responsible for doing the thinking and guiding the direction of the course. In this way, students discover the answers to important questions themselves, rather than relying on me for answers.

My aim in teaching philosophy is to develop critical thinkers who are capable of self-reflection and analysis. My goal as a teacher is always to show students how to think, not what to think. Teaching with this goal in mind allows students to see that the skills learned in philosophy are helpful outside of the classroom, and can be applied in their everyday lives.

Teaching Statement