Teaching
“Anna is so compassionate as a TA to our course, really taking on the positions of supporting the students within her own discussion sections and the class in general. She provides affective reviews of weekly course material in her sections and makes a safe space for students to engage with the work and feel confident to share because of her outgoing attitude.”
— Undergraduate Student (Spring 2022)
“Anna always had a positive spirit and made the discussion sections very engaging for her students. Her lectures were interesting and had wonderful connections to real-world examples. She was responsive to each and every one of us. Anna was always available to help each student if they were having difficulty and she helped her students understand the material much clearly.”
— Undergraduate Student (Spring 2022)
“I think the TA did a great job in organizing the discussions…She incorporated fun polls do get students engaged prior to discussing the material which was kind of nice to interact. All of the material was explained in a manner that was easily understood. She did a great job! ”
—Undergraduate Student (Spring 2022)
“I just enjoyed how open to considerations she was when it came to what the class wanted, I have had TAs in the past that did not really care. She was very knowledgeable on all the material and answered everything to the best of her ability. She overall had a great presence in the class and I really enjoyed having her.”
— Undergraduate Student (Spring 2022)
“Her strongest points in the section was that she guided us through the material making sure no one was left feeling confused. Her discussions were a safe space for opening up into interpretation.”
— Undergraduate Student (Spring 2023)
I like to give my students opportunities to engage with course topics individually as well as with their classmates. I often find it useful to bring in pop culture topics and media to help students feel more connected to the topics we are discussing. We have discussed the reporting of mass incarceration from various news sources, new and persisting inequalities the stem from the legalization of marijuana, and the experiences of women of color on dating shows such as Love Island. Students not only find these conversations more compelling, but I feel that discussing popular culture aids in developing critical consumption of these and other sources.
Before my classes start, I like to play music to keep a positive environment for my students. Here is a playlist I made of some of my students’ favorite songs! (Click the image to check it out)
Current Teaching Goals
As a first-year graduate student coming right out of college, Fall 2021 was my first quarter working as a Teaching Assistant/being in a teaching role. It is always my goal to use my brief (but growing) teaching experience as an asset to how I run my classroom and interact with my students, not a hindrance. I have found that being a recent college graduate has allowed me to better understand the student experience and tailor my lesson plans to that experience. I want students to feel comfortable in classroom discussions and view that time as an opportunity to better engage with material, not just sit around for an hour day dreaming or with their camera off (definitely not speaking from experience).
As I continue teaching, I face new challenges with new subject matter. I began the school year teaching Introduction to Sociology and Sociological Theory. This is something that felt comfortable to me. Connecting class themes to the real world seemed natural and something the students did on their own often. I am now transitioning to teaching a three-part statistics sequence for the Social Sciences department. I have found it more difficult to keep students engaged with the course material. There has also been a learning curve for me in making sure I am providing my students with accurate and helpful information. As I go into my second year, it is my goal to keep my students excited. I want to continue to use real world examples and curate lesson plans that are inviting and valuable.