Teaching Statement

Core Teaching Philosophy 

Teaching sociology is about raising the next generation of systems thinkers – students who can connect social structures, environmental challenges, and lived experience. This is particularly imperative within environmental sociology and environmental studies, where learning and action determine the health and future of our people and planet. Many undergraduate students assume sociology will be “easy” because it reflects their everyday lives, but they are often surprised by the technical language and challenged by conversations about inequality and power. My job as an instructor is to guide them through this discomfort towards curiosity, understanding, and empowerment. I design learning experiences that engage students repeatedly with key concepts. I use lectures, discussions, media, and practice to move students from passive understanding to active application. 

Teaching Approach and Methods 

My teaching approach is rooted in experiential learning and informed by more than a decade of applied research with communities and professionals. Working with underserved populations and with hesitant adult learners in professional workshops has taught me that learners bring diverse backgrounds, motivations, and capacities to the classroom. One example that shaped my teaching was a workshop I co-facilitated for the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts. Early in the session, participants were disengaged and reluctant to participate. By integrating local guest speakers to discuss Black farmer experiences and incorporating hands-on exercises, the energy completely shifted. By the end of the second day, participants engaged in the strategic planning workshop with energy and inspiration. The lesson from this experience is clear: engagement happens when learners see their own realities reflected in the material. 

I bring this same approach to my university courses. My classes are structured around assignments that invite students to teach, apply, and reflect. One of my favorite assignments to use is a “build-your-own” study guide for exam prep. For a collaborative approach, students are paired into groups and must teach each other key sociological concepts. A third assignment asks students to apply what they’ve learned to real-world contexts through a project aligned with their career goals: a policy brief for politically-minded students, a lesson plan for aspiring educators, or a team-building workshop for those interested in applying systems thinking in professional settings. These varied approaches encourage students to see sociology as a toolkit they can use beyond the classroom, especially for advancing environmental strategies. 

Inclusive and Reflective Teaching 

Through an experiential approach, I center equity and inclusion by engaging multiple learning styles and connecting coursework to students’ worldviews and aspirations. Assignments invite students to bring their own perspectives into the classroom, fostering a sense of ownership and belonging for a powerful learning opportunity. 

One of the most meaningful shifts in my teaching has been in how I approach grading. Early in my career, I used detailed rubrics and point deductions as my primary teaching tools, but I saw how this approach hindered learning and felt how it contradicted my own community-centered research ethos. Now, I use grading as a marker of engagement and progress, pairing it with individualized written feedback that provides coaching, context, and encouragement. This shift has improved both student outcomes as well as the quality of my relationships with students and their confidence in engaging with challenging material. 

Evidence of Effectiveness 

Teaching did not come easily to me at first, with student feedback being instrumental to my growth. Early evaluations revealed areas for improvement in approachability and clarity around grading. I responded by refining my communication style, aligning assignments more closely with learning outcomes, and dedicating class time to introducing expectations and rubrics. The results were tangible. In my Summer 2019 course Animals, People, and Nature, students highlighted how the clarity, relevance, and detailed feedback deepened their understanding. One student reflected, “After some discussion and incredibly valuable feedback, I took a leap in both my writing and understanding of course concepts.” These reflections affirm my commitment to continuous improvement and to meeting students where they are. 

Future Goals and Growth 

I am especially excited about the opportunity to teach and mentor graduate students in future academic endeavors. My goal is to take a both/and approach in preparing students for academic and professional pathways by combining sociological theory with practical skills. I envision professional development seminars on topics such as developing teaching and research statements, navigating the publication process, and translating research into policy or community engagement. Such courses provide consistent, equitable access to mentorship while allowing faculty advisors to focus more deeply on individualized, project-specific research support. 

Across the courses I develop, I work to integrate behavioral science, systems thinking, and social equity. With training in both sociology and psychology, I can contribute to courses such as Introduction to Psychology, Self and Society, and Environmental Behavior and Decision Science. My postdoctoral and professional research on sustainable decision-making and agricultural systems offers real-world case studies that enrich these classes. I also bring deep expertise in Environmental Sociology, Qualitative Research Methods, Community-Engaged Research, and Environmental Justice. 

I also hope to continue developing courses that bridge environmental sociology with applied practice and equip students to critically analyze and address real-world environmental challenges. Example courses include Environmental Justice and Community Resilience or Social Dimensions of Climate Adaptation. 

Teaching environmental sociology and environmental studies is, for me, an act of empowerment – helping students see themselves as capable of both understanding and shaping the systems that govern environmental futures. Across my courses, I strive to cultivate curiosity, compassion, and critical thinking in ways that prepare students to work collaboratively to address the social dimensions of environmental challenges. and work toward just and sustainable solutions.