TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
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My teaching and research are primarily informed by U.S. Latino, Latin American, and American Studies methodologies which include historical archival work, symbolic system analysis, postcolonial critique, ethnography, oral histories, and rhetorical and literary criticism. Though I have taught a wide range of courses, there are some principle features of my teaching that are common to all my classes. Regardless of the thematic content or class level — and beyond the thoughtful use of electronic media — you will find that the basic principles of my teaching are guided by a belief in "education as a practice of freedom," a term developed by Paulo Freire and "translated" into many educational settings in the Americas and elsewhere.
My courses are "student centered" which means that students are central to the construction of knowledge that takes place in the classroom and not mere recipients of concepts and ideas. I believe that each student's personal and academic experiences can be a learning resource for others, including myself. Whenever possible, I familiarize myself with individual learning styles and attempt to reinforce productive habits, and develop competence in areas where students feel less comfortable. If a student feels more comfortable with writing than, say, with speaking, I reinforce their strengths by helping them write out what they might wish to say and attempt to find productive ways to develop those skills that will allow for the effective delivery of ideas that, even though developed in solitude, will ultimately be shared in an environment of collective and collaborative support. As a teacher and scholar of Latino cultural, literary, and historical studies, I always try to engage students in the pursuit of interpretive strategies that enable them to see the texts before them, as well as the world around them, with more nuance than they tend to think themselves capable of seeing. Students often find it surprising that before we engage the genre constraints of any text, I often ask them to create one for themselves. For example, before a close analysis of any work of poetry I ask students to write original short pieces of poetry that are thematically connected to the poem we will study. This often leads them to pose interpretive problems differently, with greater appreciation for the craft and, on occasion, their own work even receives accolades from the class. Another hallmark of my teaching philosophy is the belief that promoting the lowest common denominator of a text, or field paradigm, impoverishes the work and, ultimately, the students' ability to reap the benefits of the sustained discipline required of any worthy pursuit. Students often find that I offer considerable feedback on their written work, both in writing and in person. I believe that this is perhaps one of the most important elements of my role as a teacher because it provides the skills that will be useful beyond a course's thematic appeal. Clear thinking and writing, as well as solid and respectful argumentation, are talents that students take with them for the rest of their lives irrespective of career choice. In summary, I work chiefly to provide my students with the intellectual confidence and passion that allows them to see how a life well lived is like a finely crafted work of art: engaging, provocative in the best sense, illuminating, and a benefit to others. Doing so allows students to have both a private and a public intellectual life that affords them the ability to analyze their hearts, and the world around them, with ethical precision and civic compassion. Engaging such a life is nothing less than a practice of freedom. |
