Teaching Portfolio
Statement of Teaching Philosophy
“I’ve no doubt that you can build a steamship; but can you make a sailboat in a bottle?” I received this feedback on a term paper from a professor during my undergraduate degree, and I think of it often for several reasons. First, the call for modesty and attentive scholarship is a constant reminder to avoid generalizations in my own research and analysis. Second, the approach of providing thoughtful constructive feedback rather than simply criticizing students’ work is both kind and heuristic. Third, and essential for how I see my role as an educator, this process demonstrates how profoundly a teacher can impact their students.
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Students often learn most about a subject when they have to teach it, understanding it on a deeper level and figuring out how to effectively communicate it to others. Accordingly, well-crafted evaluation should simulate a teaching situation, encouraging students to synthesize materials, apply critical thinking, and construct their own meaning.
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Evaluation not only allows students to gauge their own progress, but also informs my instruction. I gain insight into students’ knowledge of content and skills, and tailor my lessons and discussions according to their needs. I also strive to provide individualized support to students if necessary.
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I employ a variety of teaching methods, activities, and supplemental materials in my teaching. These include small group discussions, large-group discussions, interactive lectures, guest speakers, and audio-visual materials (film/TV clips, art, social media, literature, and audio recordings) to accommodate a range of learning modalities and interests. I use student presentations to avoid a solely instructor-focused room, and I am also attentive to classroom geography and how it can correlate to power flows and discussion.
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I see course content and pedagogy as complementary methods of conveying knowledge, challenging accepted ways of thinking, and sparking students’ curiosity. My aim within the classroom is to share my passion for learning and discovery with my students through a combination of student-centered learning, creative and varied pedagogy, and supporting a constructive and intellectually curious community of learners.
Courses Taught
Adjunct Instructor. "Food and the City." Undergraduate online course at New York University.
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Instructor. "Food, Media, and Cultural Capital in New York City." Undergraduate summer intensive course at New York University (online and in-person).
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Teaching Assistant. "Food and Identity." Undergraduate course at New York University.
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Teaching Assistant. "Food History." Undergraduate course at New York University.
Teaching Assistant, Islamic India. Undergraduate course at Simon Fraser University.
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Private ESL Instructor and English Teacher. Potts Education Centre, Richmond, British Columbia.
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Children's Cooking Class Instructor. "Y Kids R Cooking." Burnaby, British Columbia.
Online Pedagogy
I was invited to participate in syllabus design and evaluation for a new asynchronous online course, “Food and the City,” at New York University in 2018, and independently taught this course in the autumn of 2019 and spring of 2020. While I had taken online courses, and had delivered guest lectures via video calls, I had not previously taught a course online. This posed interesting challenges because much of my teaching methodology depends on developing the classroom as an intellectual community, which has traditionally relied on in-person interactions.
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The experiences of teaching online, especially during COVID-19, heightened my awareness of the skills, sensitivities, and methods required to lead class discussions and to provide scholarly knowledge. With a transition to remote and online learning, my role expanded to build community among students. The non-verbal aspects of communication that create human connectivity are absent (in asynchronous) or diminished (in synchronous) online courses. Accordingly, I had to communicate more explicitly through text than if I had been able to rely on body language, facial expressions, and intonation. I had to modify assignments, accommodate students with extenuating circumstances, and inform students of university resources to help them cope with the unique difficulties posed by this pandemic.
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The lessons of teaching during COVID-19 are not only applicable during extreme situations. My experiences have reinforced the importance of compassion and support for students. I participated in discussions with other academics about online pedagogy. The synergistic discussion of pedagogical challenges helped me to think through my roles as an instructor. As a result, I compiled a list of best practices for working from home, which provides students with suggestions for self-care and efficiency while working from home. I now include this document in my course resources. As well, I compiled a document that informs students about wellness resources offered through their university.