Teaching & Workshops

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The collaborative classroom.
In the process of challenging and pushing oneself to grown, I realize that learners may feel vulnerable. In developing a degree of comfort with discomfort and vulnerability on the part of learners, I treat the classroom as a safe place where learning can be exploratory, ideas can be “tried on” and tested, and where opinions can be shared, defended (with evidence) and allowed to be changed. By modelling respectful and constructive feedback at various times throughout the course, ideally everyone in the classroom will collaborate in a range of activities, within their abilities, and with empathy for others.  

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Flexible and adaptive.
Recognizing that some topics or students may require more processing time or more direction, I aim for universal design in my course and lesson design to make it accessible and to remain flexible to respond to learners’ identified needs. Depending on the topic, the class size, and the learning objectives, I strive to apply active and critical, experiential and transformative approaches grounded in current events or learners’ own experiences to make learning tangible and meaningful. 

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Educating the educator.
Learning about different teaching theories and methods enables me to be more flexible when faced with different needs. I continue to develop my teaching skills through personal reflection and through discussion with colleagues. I also continue to take professional development courses on innovations and effectiveness in teaching and learning. 

Joining someone on their journey of growth and discovery is a privilege that comes with much responsibility. If by the end of the course I see evidence of passion for learning having been sparked, even if only in one topic or method of learning, then I know I have done my job well.