Inclusive Teaching

Statement on Inclusion:

All students deserve the opportunity to have a safe and inclusive learning environment where they can succeed. Through my work in the Graduate Certificate in College Teaching, the BUILD Program, and as a member of the Inclusive Excellence Faculty Learning Community I have been able to commit myself to providing a learning environment where all students have a voice and feel a sense of belonging.

Through the use of diverse teaching learner-focused strategies, I strive to accommodate various learning styles and actively work with my classes to enhance both student engagement and the achievement of the learning outcomes set forward by Boise State. In addition, to ensure students feel both safe and free to speak their minds, I employ iClicker to conduct anonymous polling and written feedback during each class. The anonymity that it provides allows for students to freely share their thoughts, questions, and feelings on subjects that can often be challenging or controversial. This inclusionary method, along with a diverse approach to active learning, has been highly successful in the courses that I have had thus far at Boise State.

Statement on Diversity:

Given the current political climate both on a national and state level, I feel that it is more crucial than ever that institutions of higher learning focus on educating students on the importance of diversity and social inclusion. As educators, it is imperative to teach our students the value of a just and equal society. Through experiential-learning, I teach my students about the historical underpinnings of contemporary issues of societal injustice, help them identify implicit biases, and aid them in understanding the hidden privileges lurking in American culture in order for them to form a deeper appreciation for social diversity, equality, and inclusion. This education is of paramount importance in the face of growing nativism and the rise of nationalistic and exclusionary tendencies in the twenty-first century.