My Teaching Portfolio
Teaching Philosophy
For me, teaching is a calling. From my earliest childhood
memories, I remember loving to play “school.” This love of the
entire process of learning has followed me throughout the
changes in my career path. In any role, regardless of whether I
am acting in the formal roles of “instructor” or “student,” I seek to
learn and to teach.
Education is my chosen career path. In my faculty and
professional roles, I consider mentoring, supervising and teaching
the next generation of thought and practice leaders to be a
wonderful privilege. Giving back to the profession I love and
believe in is one of the primary motivators behind my teaching.
By teaching the teachers, I know that my work can have an
impact on college students far beyond those with whom I have
immediate contact.
At its core, my teaching is
grounded in concepts of student learning and development.
Much as our profession has focused on the education of the whole
student, I apply this philosophy to my teaching. My main goal in
any teaching endeavor is to encourage the student to explore
research and knowledge in order to incorporate it into their own
professional point of view. Teaching in this field requires one to
attend to both the technical knowledge a student needs and to
their evolution as a reflective professional and person. Theory
and practice are inextricably linked.
In encouraging this process, I believe it is important to view the
student-teacher relationship as one that is co-constructed. In this
regard, I am heavily influenced by the learning partnerships work
of Dr. Marcia Baxter Magolda. Much as I hope students will learn
from me, I equally appreciate the learning I take from my
students. In the classroom space, I believe that authority and the
responsibility for learning is mutually shared.
Part of this co-construction requires that I reflect on my own
approach, style and biases in the learning process. It also
requires that I recognize that students learn differently, have
differing levels of learning abilities, and that my teaching must be
sensitive to the individual needs of each student. In approaching
my teaching, I attempt to accommodate the myriad of learning
styles present in the classroom. I utilize a blend of approaches,
including reading, writing, discussion, role play, case studies,
reflection, and lecture.
Lastly, I view teaching as a performative act. Although I attempt
to de-center myself in the classroom, I nevertheless recognize
that teaching is, in part, a show. I relish the challenge of trying to
take difficult concepts and explore them in accessible, interesting
and engaging ways. I also strive to experiment with new
innovative ways of engaging in the learning process. I am not the
only one that benefits from this experimentation. My students do
as well.
When it comes to education, the process is often the product, and
I continually learn as I teach.
Reflections and Thoughts on
Pedagogy
I believe that the best teachers are reflective teachers. To this
end, I have documented my thoughts on teaching and
experiments in the classroom via my blog. Additionally, given my
research interest in the intersection of digital and social
technology with student learning and development, I have also
written extensively on the topic.
Click here to explore some of my blog posts and thought pieces
related to pedagogy. You can also click here to review my
refereed and invited presentations, many of which relate to
student learning and development.
Teaching Experience
Courses Taught
Capstone in Higher Education (HED 590C), 4 credits,
graduate-level, Merrimack College: Spring 2015
(Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
Higher Education Fellowship Internship Experience
(HED 560G/561G), 2-4 credits, gradaute-
level, Merrimack College: Fall 2012 (Syllabus, Course
Evaluation), Spring 2013 (Syllabus); Fall 2013
(Syllabus, Course Evaluation); Spring 2014
(Syllabus, Course Evaluation); Fall 2014 (Syllabus, Course
Evaluation); Spring 2015 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
Advanced Field Experience in Higher Education (ED
977), 1 credit, graduate-level, Boston College: Spring
2012 (Syllabus, Teaching Observation, Course
Evaluation); Spring 2013, 2 sections (Syllabus, Course
Evaluation Section 1, Course Evaluation Section 2); Spring
2014 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
Field Experience in Higher Education (ED 976), 2
credits, graduate-level, Boston College: Team taught with
Michelle Brown-Kerrigan and Dr. Heather Rowan Kenyon,
Fall 2011 (Syllabus); Team taught with Michelle Brown-
Kerrigan, Fall 2012 (Syllabus, Teaching Observation); 2
credits, graduate-level, Boston College: Team taught with
Kevin Gin and Dr. Heather Rowan Kenyon, Fall 2013
(Syllabus)
Introduction to Scholarship, Leadership and Service
(HON 280), 1 credit, undergraduate-level, Miami
University, 8 sections between January 2003-May 2006
(Sample Syllabus)
Student Development in the Residence Halls (EDL
301), 1 credit, undergraduate-level, Miami University,
Spring 2004 (Syllabus)
Teaching Assistant Experience
Theories of Student Development (ED/PY 778), 3
credits, graduate-level, with Dr. Karen Arnold, Boston
College, Spring 2012 (Syllabus); Spring 2014, 2 sections
(Syllabus)
Higher Education in American Society (ED 770), 3
credits, graduate-level, with Dr. Michael James, Boston
College, Fall 2013 (Syllabus)
Contemporary Issues in Higher Education:
Advanced Student Development Theory (ED 708), 3
credits, graduate-level, with Dr. Karen Arnold, Boston
College, Fall 2013
Introduction to College Student Personnel Work
(CSP 552), 3 credits, graduate-level, with Dr. Robert
Reason, Western Illinois University, Fall 2001
Introduction to Logic (PHIL 111), 3 credits,
undergraduate-level, with Dr. Stacey Edgar, SUNY
Geneseo, Fall 1999
Minds, Dreams, and Machines (PHIL 103), 3 credits,
undergraduate-level, with Dr. William Edgar, SUNY
Geneseo, Spring 1999
Further Pedagogical Experience
ACT Fellow (Fall 2013-2014), Apprenticeship in
College Teaching Program, Boston College. Co-
coordinated, planned and implemented a year-long
professional development program on teaching for
graduate student instructors and teaching assistants.
Specifically presented on: Grading, Teaching with Social
Media, Developing an E-Portfolio, Leading Discussions,
and Developing Engaging Lectures
Orientation Planning Team (Fall
2012), Apprenticeship in College Teaching
Program, Boston College. Co-developed,
implemented, and presented an orientation and training
program for graduate student instructors and
teaching assistants
Coordinator for Honors & Scholars Living Learning
Community (LLC) Courses (July 2004-June
2006), University Honors & Scholars
Program, Miami University. Collaborated on
redeveloping first year LLC course syllabus, and the
creation of two upper-class LLC course syllabi; Co-
developed enriched residence hall-based sections of
English Composition for Honors and Scholars
students; Recruited and trained instructors and
Undergraduate Associates
Awards and Recognition
Donald J. White Teaching Excellence
Award (2014). Given to a Teaching Fellow at Boston
College in recognition of outstanding teaching and
performance in the classroom.
Training and Certifications
Apprenticeship in College Teaching
Certificate (Completed Spring 2013), Boston
College. Met the requirements for certification including
(1) attending a teaching orientation, (2) attending at least
seven teaching workshops, (3) submit an original syllabus
for review, (4) conduct a teaching observation of a faculty
member, (5) undergo an teaching observation, and (6)
complete a teaching portfolio. In completing these
requirements, I attended workshops on: (1) Grading, (2)
Creating a Teaching Portfolio, (3) Conducting a Teaching
Observation, (4) Classroom Management, (5) Using
Technology in Your Teaching, (6) Leading Discussions, (7)
Teaching and Learning Styles, and (8) Syllabus
Construction.
Faculty-Professional Learning Community on Living
Learning Communities (August 2004-May
2005), Center for the Enhancement of Learning and
Teaching (CELT), Miami University. Applied for and
participated in a year-long learning community to
enhance the curricular components of living learning
communities at Miami University
Course: CSP 571: Teaching and Training in Student
Affairs, 1 credit hour, graduate-level, Western
Illinois University, Spring 2001.
Teaching
and Learning Conferences
Ann Ferren Teaching Conference, American University,
Washington, DC, 2007
Lilly International Confernece on College Teaching, Miami
University, Oxford, OH, 2004
Digital Guest Lectures
I digitally guest lecture for graduate classes on a pro bono basis
and as my schedule allows. Institutions include: Bowling Green
State University, California Lutheran University, Indiana
University, University of Binghamton, University of North Carolina-
Greensboro, University of North Texas, and University of Northern
Colorado.
Student Testimonials
