EQUITY

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My approach to teaching is deeply rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression and decolonization. It is at the core regardless of the content of the class or course, serving as the foundation upon which we build our shared learning together. A student's previous education and their relationship with academia is greatly influenced by their identities and lived experiences. There is life outside the classroom, and sometimes post-secondary learning takes a back seat to other competing demands and life experiences. I do everything I can to help manage the classroom expectations and support students in meeting their goals, recognizing some students may need more support than others for various reasons.​​

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CRITICAL THINKING

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​I ​view critical thinking as a cornerstone of effective teaching and learning. In today’s complex and rapidly changing world, the ability to think critically—to question assumptions, evaluate evidence, and consider multiple perspectives—is essential for students, not only in their academic work but also as engaged citizens and professionals.

 

As an educator, I intentionally design learning environments that encourage inquiry, dialogue, and reflection. I challenge students to move beyond memorization and passive absorption of information, and instead to engage actively with course content, each other, and the world around them. Critical thinking supports the development of curiosity, self-awareness, and the ability to hold space for complexity—skills that are fundamental to ethical and socially responsible social work practice.

 

I also recognize that critical thinking is not value-neutral. It must be grounded in equity, humility, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. My teaching approach fosters respectful disagreement and critical engagement with power, privilege, and structural injustice. Encouraging students to think deeply and critically is, to me, one of the most meaningful and transformative aspects of education.

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REFLECTION & REFLEXIVITY

 

Having students reflect on work that they submitted or a learning experience is critical to the evolution of the helping professional. I include reflective observation and assessment opportunities into the course design, supporting students to build their skill and capacity in critiquing their own assumptions, biases, and beliefs. I support students to challenge themselves in this way, encouraging them to dig deep into understanding their experiences in a social context. By supporting students to insert themselves into the analysis and including a lens of power, they learn to move beyond self-reflection into critical reflexivity, another essential skill of the helping professional.

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STUDENT-CENTERED & COLLABORATION

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Students enter the classroom space from a variety of different lived experiences, identities, and learning styles, and their learning is connected and intertwined with what they experience in the world before, during and after our time together. Many are coming into the program with experience in the field already.

 

There is more than one way to learn and I work hard to pay attention to and support students where they are at as much as possible. I see the educator-student relationship as reciprocal in nature, where we learn together through collaboration and sharing of ideas and perspectives. I work to create a sense of community in the learning environment, one that we are all responsible for and is co-created by students.

 

Sometimes, things just don't go according to plan! While it is important to ensure that course content is delivered and key learning outcomes are covered, it is equally as important to adapt to where students are at. If a particular topic is exciting the students and there is great discussion happening, I am flexible and adaptive to accommodate this. If there is something going on in our community, in our country, or even globally, that is relevant to students and their careers as helping professionals, it behooves us to take those opportunities and understand the value in those timely conversations. I am not afraid to try new things in the classroom, thoughtfully using a variety of teaching tools and methods, and intentional use of technology.