Teaching Philosophy

In August 2017, I initiated my Ph.D. program at Purdue University, where I have had the opportunity to work in a college environment teaching English Composition, Introduction to Film Studies, and Literature courses.

I believe the biggest challenge for any instructor is having students who think they do not belong or do not need a particular course – in other words, unmotivated students.

Specifically on the English Composition class, an entry-level mandatory course at Purdue, I have come across many students who think writing has nothing to do with what they will do in their future careers, that writing is too difficult, or even that they could be doing something better with their time.

Because of that, I set a great deal of time at the beginning of the course to show how writing and the course may help them in their lives outside the Academy. Therefore, I usually have students discuss rhetorical situations in advertisements, social media, among other real-life situations. Implementing realia into the writing class has proven to be very effective in my experience. While I was working with children learning English as a second language, I would introduce vocabulary with real objects; or, while teaching more functional language, I would ask students to enact realistic situations, such as buying a train ticket. Realia brings the class to life and makes students more motivated because they see how, for instance, rhetorical situations are perceived everywhere – an awareness that will make them more critical readers and writers.

I have also followed these strategies while teaching other classes, such as Introduction to Film Studies and Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I think it is important that students understand not only the theoretical and formal content of narratives, but also their social implications. Relating films and novels to our reality is pivotal to show their relevance in our very technological-driven world. Because of that, my classes always explore bigger themes, for instance, women’s portraits and insertion in the world of cinema, as well as the role of science fiction and fantasy in representing current issues with our world.

Therefore, in my classes, I encourage students to read and make questions and inquiries. They read, for instance, about the effects of technology in our everyday life, in the way we write, and even in our memory, as well as the impact of myths on our understanding of reality. Themes such as these motivate students because they notice these issues in themselves.

In order to moderate discussions, I use group work and forums for online classes. I struggle to have a class environment that enhances students’ collaboration. As the instructor, it is very important to me that students see the classroom as a small community where people learn together.