I teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses including Introduction to Social Problems Marriage and the Family, Sociology of Sexualities, Gender and Sexuality in Families, The Sociology of Gender, and Using the F Word: American Feminism Today. I was honored to receive Notre Dame’s Marian Mullin Hancock Teaching Award from the Gender Studies Program.
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Across all my courses, I strive to build collaborative learning environments, in which everyone feels comfortable participating. I believe that working together produces a more engaging and rigorous learning environment.
I proactively assist students to develop critical thinking skills, which help them think more deeply about the social world and the evidence available about it. Unfortunately, for many students critical thinking has become a buzzword of which they have only vague understanding. I model it, provide lots of resources, and make it fun! Students are grateful for this effort, and give evaluation comments such as: “She is so good at pushing you to think more critically, regardless of what "side" of a debate you are on;” “I have never been so pushed to think so deeply and critically;” and “Professor Ocobock really challenges out critical thinking skills. She definitely does not let us think shallowly.”
This is what collaborative learning looks like, with everyone working together to organize ideas!
I focus on helping students build connections between sociological concepts and their own personal experiences. I want students to be able to apply sociology to the things they observe and encounter and for it to have meaning beyond the classroom. My classes regularly involve discussions about popular culture and real-world events, and include hands on trainings. Students make evaluation comments, such as: “This was one of the most impactful courses I have taken entirely because of [her] ability to apply class concepts to real world events.”
Lastly, I help students build genuine connections with one another. As a sociologist, I am committed to considering the best available evidence and applying it to what I do. The scholarship on higher education demonstrates the central role that friendship plays in college success, yet most professors give it little attention. I purposefully design assignments that allow for genuine connections to form, including, for example, a "falling in love" experiment, and activities focused on how to productively talk to people who have different views.
I LOVE mentoring students. I have served on eight PhD dissertation committees, four Masters committees, and as thesis advisor for six undergraduates. I get such joy from developing close, meaningful relationships with students and helping them succeed.
Me and a recent graduate student after defending her dissertation!
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