Teaching

2022 Teaching Excellence Awards

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 23:42:50 +0000

2022 Teaching Excellence Awards Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 17:42

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Teaching Excellence Awards! Click on each person below to learn more about them and their teaching philosophy.

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Teaching Spotlight - Phurwa Dhondup

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 22:50:06 +0000

Teaching Spotlight - Phurwa Dhondup Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 16:50

Phurwa is a 2nd year PhD student studying Geography. His research focuses on political ecology and more-than-human geographies of caterpillar fungus in Dolpo, Nepal to examine the processes of state making, Indigeneity and multispecies world-making in the high Himalaya. Phurwa was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on his teaching philosophy and dedication to his students. We asked Phurwa a few questions to learn more about him as a teacher and get to know him better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

My favorite part about teaching is the opportunity to meet and work with students from various backgrounds and interests. I also like the fact that teaching often forces you to step back and explain complex ideas in layman terms or in ways students can understand it.

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

I employ an experiential, interactive pedagogy with a strong focus on analytical and conceptual learning. In other words, I help students to carry out hands-on activities that involve certain level of social exploration and self-reflection while engaging with key concepts and theories from the class. The objective of this approach is to provide toolkits for the students to realize their agency in examining the issue at hand and hopefully taking action.

What is a favorite teaching resource you would like to share with other graduate teachers?

I would say an assignment that tracks how students understanding of the key course concepts have changed over the period of the class. I usually have a reflection essay at the end that asks students to read their discussion posts from first three weeks and compare them with their most recent posts. The result is an amazing collection of essays that not only provide a glimpse into students' thought process but also important feedback (certainly more meaningful than the FCQs) to consider for the class.

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

Be compassionate and kind, especially to students who have different needs or backgrounds that makes their studies already challenging. This might mean many things including accepting late assignments, or providing opportunities to make up for classes.

Tell us a fun fact about you that is not related to your teaching and research.

I am a polyglot speaking six languages including Tibetan, my mother tongue.

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is beautifully written and weaves together compelling stories that simultaneously fuses, refuses and confuses binary concepts and categories we take for granted such as science/Indigenous knowledge, humans/nonhumans, living/nonliving, nature/society, and so on. It also speaks to my own epistemic orientation as a traveller between traditional and scientific ways of knowing.

If you could have dinner with anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?

It would certainly be my late father who is a repository of boundless knowledge. I would spend the dinner listening to him tell the story of his life as a refugee in a borderland, or to one of many folk stories he likes to narrate from heart.

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Teaching Spotlight - Georgia Butcher

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 22:43:35 +0000

Teaching Spotlight - Georgia Butcher Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 16:43

Georgia is a 3rd year PhD student studying Cultural Anthropology. Her research focuses on military drone pilot experience with a focus on how remote war impacts understandings of surveillance and the automation of war and work. Georgia was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on her teaching philosophy and dedication to her students. We asked Georgia a few questions to learn more about her as a teacher and get to know her better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

My favorite part of teaching is when I realize that the students not only trust each other, but also me. Trust is such an essential part of teaching, especially in recitations, and I find that once trust is strong, student submissions also become stronger and more interesting.

Is there a particular story from the classroom you would like to share?

Classroom engagement can come in unexpected ways. One class, I handed out colored pencils for an activity, but let students use them after the activity for notes/doodling. The colored pencils not only allowed students to engage with my activities differently (such as by drawing their response instead of typing/writing a journal response) but also, somehow, drastically increased participation. Needless to say, the colored pencils remained a constant classroom companion for the rest of the semester.

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

Instead of trying to fight for the attention of students and get them off their laptops and phones, integrate technology into the classroom. I find that allowing students to email me questions instead of having to raise their hands increases engagement from students who might ordinarily not speak and seemingly hide behind their screens.

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The book is a novel about a 70s rock band (and their downfall) written in such a fun and engaging way that you can't put it down.

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Teaching Spotlight - Gentry Ragsdale

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 22:38:27 +0000

Teaching Spotlight - Gentry Ragsdale Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 16:38

Gentry is a 1st year PhD student studying Music Education. Her research focuses on access and inclusion in music education and the use of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy to encourage students to feel both included and accepted. Gentry was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on her teaching philosophy and dedication to her students. We asked Gentry a few questions to learn more about her as a teacher and get to know her better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

My favorite part of teaching is the connections I make with students. I also love watching them grow and become more confident throughout the semester.

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

Much of my pedagogical philosophy is based upon ensuring that students feel included, appreciated, and safe. A lot of my ideas are based in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, which strives to create a classroom environment where the individual is valued for who they are and what they know. In my woodwind methods course, I encourage my students to draw from what they already know from their primary-instrument studies and use that knowledge to take on another instrument with confidence. I use my natural enthusiasm to help try to keep everyone awake at 8am, but also work to keep everyone calm when it gets close to midterms and finals. Being sensitive to student needs is something that is very important to me and I do my best to make sure my students feel seen and heard.

What is a favorite teaching resource you would like to share with other graduate teachers?

I highly recommend looking up Culturally Responsive Pedagogy--also known as Culturally Responsive Teaching. It has given me a new outlook on teaching!

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

Students are more engaged when they care about the class, and they usually care about the class more when they know the professor cares about them. Getting to know students helps in a myriad of ways, including being able to advocate for their needs on other levels.

Tell us a fun fact about you that is not related to your teaching and research.

I am an equestrian! I grew up competing in rodeos, then switched to dressage and jumping in my mid-twenties. I currently ride at a stable near Highlands Ranch and love every minute I get to spend with the horses.

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

I just finished The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, which won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Set in 1950s rural North Dakota, it tells the story of the lives of several Chippewa tribal members and events leading up to a "termination" bill that threatens to take away their rights to the land. It has a lot of stark imagery and really moving points of view from the Chippewa members.

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Teaching Spotlight - Hunter Thompson

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 22:30:43 +0000

Teaching Spotlight - Hunter Thompson Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 16:30

Hunter is a 4th year PhD student studying Communication. His research focuses on how rhetorical contexts shape texts and people’s perception of texts. Hunter was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on his teaching philosophy and dedication to his students. We asked Hunter a few questions to learn more about him as a teacher and get to know him better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I enjoy when students share final projects they have been crafting all semester. It is exciting to see students join broader discussions and imagine alternative futures.

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

My pedagogy is shaped by the principle that a variety of learning modes improves the experience of everyone. Too often, students are only lectured at, or learn exclusively through group discussions. Instead, a single day in my class relies on a variety of modes—lecture, writing, visual displays, group work, and games—to present ideas to students. Students have different learning styles, so a variety of modes keeps everyone engaged, and no one feels alienated.

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

If we want students to be engaged, we need to apply concepts from our curriculum to contemporary examples circulating in public culture. It shows them that academic ideas have actual stakes and can help us make sense of the world.

Tell us a fun fact about you that is not related to your teaching and research.

I listen to far too many podcasts in my spare time. They are easy to listen to while commuting, cooking, and exercising. Even better is that they offer a window into topics I wouldn’t otherwise have the time to follow.

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Teaching Spotlight - Jayne Simpson

Anonymous — Sun, 08 May 2022 22:24:45 +0000

Teaching Spotlight - Jayne Simpson Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/08/2022 - 16:24

Jayne is a 4th year PhD student studying Communication. Her research focuses on decision making and stakeholder management in organizations. Jayne was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on her teaching philosophy and dedication to her students. We asked Jayne a few questions to learn more about her as a teacher and get to know her better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I love seeing students progress throughout the semester! Whether it's making improvements in their writing, presenting, or finding their voice in the classroom, I love seeing students learn & grow in ways that help them as both a student and a person.

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

My philosophy is to see people as a whole person making progress and learning about life, both in and outside of the classroom, as lifelong learners - including myself! That means taking time (for everyone) to reflect on what works for them, what goals and challenges they might have, and how their classes can help them build not only knowledge but also skills for their futures.

Is there a particular story from the classroom you would like to share?

Not specifically, but I think every student that's had me as an instructor has a memory of me almost knocking over a desk, falling out of my chair, or climbing on top of something to make a point. I really do get into the material!

What is a favorite teaching resource you would like to share with other graduate teachers?

Mentors! I am very fortunate to have had great teaching leads while at CU, as well as a parent who is a lifelong teacher! There is never a negative to having a more seasoned set of eyes or ears about a lesson plan, assignment, or tricky situation.

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

Be willing to learn with your students! There have been times that I haven't done a great job teaching a lesson and times that I really don't know the answer to the question someone has. Being willing to show that learning is a process and that owning your situation and learning to manage your time and relationships is essential for building trust and reliability.

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

Admittedly, I'm more of a podcast gal since I do so much reading during my studies and research, but I have been loving the Under the Influence Podcast, which is about online life and the rise of influencers and how they are maneuvering the online economy. Another great one is both seasons of Imposters, and all of the Doctor Death podcasts!

If you could have dinner with anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?

Gregg Popovich! I used to work at a restaurant in San Antonio he came to on occasion, and he was always sure to drop some wisdom on 20-year-old me. Now that I've seen a little more of life, I'd love to pick his brain about so many topics.

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Executive Updates - September 29

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:44:19 +0000

Executive Updates - September 29 Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/29/2021 - 09:44

To our graduate and professional colleagues,

Please see below for a weekly update from the Graduate and Professional Student Government, which you should also be receiving from your department representative or college senator.

Upcoming events and opportunities:

GPSG meetings
- Assembly Meetings - Tuesdays 6:30pm
- Engagement Team - Tuesdays 4pm
- Executive Team - Mondays 10am
- Outreach Team - Tuesday 4:30 pm (as needed)
- Admin Team - Wednesday, Oct. 6 9am
Grad and Professional student events on the CU Calendar
Presidential Search Committee nominations are open, tell anyone who may be interested to apply by October 21!
Current open GPSG applications: various campus positions, DEI award
Please continue to share any questions or concerns about campus COVID-19 policies via this survey.

Week in Review:

Madeline Mader has stepped up as the new Speaker of the Assembly!
COVID update from Chairs & Directors meeting: Boulder county transmission rate is currently 165/100k and mask mandate will not ease up until we hit about 50/100k. Student vaccination reporting rate is around 91% and CU is considered a fully vaccinated organization.
Classes will not be changing teaching modality unless there is a campus wide change in modality - from information we’ve been given this is extremely unlikely.
Met with disability services last week. Grad students are encouraged to reach out to that office even if you only think you may qualify for services and accommodations. Accommodations extend to milestone exams in addition to coursework. They can also interface with the employee services office if you need accommodations related to teaching or research work.
OIEC presented at Assembly about the campus culture survey, which will be administered this fall. Information about the survey is here. Please encourage grad students you know to take the survey so we can get as much data as possible!

If any questions arise, you can reach out to your representative or contact us at gpsg@colorado.edu.

We hope you stay safe and have a great week,

Emily Jensen, Barra Peak, and Bobby Vondrasek

GPSG Executive Team

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Executive Updates - September 8

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Executive Updates - September 8 Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/08/2021 - 00:00

To our graduate and professional colleagues,

We hope you had a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend. Please see below for a weekly update from the Graduate and Professional Student Government, which you should also be receiving from your department representative or college senator.

Upcoming events and opportunities:

GPSG meetings
- Assembly Meetings - Tuesdays 6pm
- Engagement Team - Tuesdays 4pm
- Executive Team - Mondays 10am
- Outreach Team - Tuesday 4:30 pm (as needed)
Grad and Professional student events on the CU Calendar
GPSG travel grants are open until this Friday, September 10 at 5pm. Please share with anyone who will be presenting or needs some support for their professional development!
Applications for open Senator positions and a variety of opportunities to sit on campus boards are open (most are paid). Please share this application form. They will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting September 15.

GPSG Week in Review:

We met with the Pandemic Response Office about COVID-19 testing and other concerns about campus policies
- Wardenburg testing: You should be able to get a test. If you are turned away, the most likely reasons are:
  - It is too soon since the time of exposure
  - You are not officially enrolled for the semester (common issue with dissertation/thesis credits)
  - If you are turned away from Wardenburg, email Brenton.Klingemann@colorado.edu
- Rec Center masking policy: The rec center has been granted an exemption to the mask mandate due to its classification as a “controlled access” rather than “public” space. Due to this, the lack of masks in the rec center is not in violation of the Boulder County mask mandate.
- Instructor Guidance:
  - Department chairs are supposed to be sharing university instructional guidance and COVID-19 policies with grad student instructors. If this is not happening in your department please let us know.
  - Full unmasked student policy as of 8.31.21 here. If this was not previously shared with you, please let us know.
- Monitoring Tests
  - Program ended due to low participation
  - Not reaching the population it actually would have helped monitor
  - University unwilling to enforce strict monitoring requirement
- Please continue to share any questions or concerns about campus COVID-19 policies via this survey.
We met with the Assistant Director of Grad Housing last week regarding housing policy changes. Here is a summary of the meeting.
We met with the CUSG executives on Tuesday morning to discuss priorities for the year and possible collaborations. We will post a summary of the meeting soon.
Spotlights for Teaching and Research Excellence Awards from Spring 2021 are now posted on the website! Take a moment to support your peers and check out the cool things they are up to.

If any questions arise, you can reach out to your representative or contact us at gpsg@colorado.edu.

We hope you stay safe and have a great week,

Emily Jensen, Barra Peak, and Bobby Vondrasek

GPSG Executive Team

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Teaching Excellence Spotlight - Paige Massey

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 03:15:04 +0000

Teaching Excellence Spotlight - Paige Massey Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/30/2021 - 21:15

Paige Massey is a third year PhD student studying Philosophy. Her research focuses on epistemology—the study of knowledge and rational belief—with particular interests in evidentialism and issues related to the ethics of belief more broadly; she has secondary research interests in ethics, especially the effective altruism movement. Paige was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on her teaching philosophy and dedication to her students. We asked Paige a few questions to learn more about her as a teacher and get to know her better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I'm in grad school to become a professor not only because I want to develop as a scholar, but also because I've benefited immensely from the mentorship I received from educators in high school and college. Now that I'm beginning to teach, it's rewarding to help students understand the material, but my favorite part is supporting students to feel like they have a place at the table and that there is someone rooting for them. Compared to the typical philosophy graduate student, I come from a fairly non-traditional background—female, Native American, low-income, first-generation, etc. Plus, I grew up in a single-parent household and my parent died of cancer in my last year of high school. So, my first year of college was initially really difficult due to circumstances I was facing outside the classroom, but a few professors were reliably supportive and that helped me trudge forward. I think so many students have non-academic circumstances that encroach on their performance in the classroom, which is additionally concerning when so many students also struggle to separate their self-worth from their academic performance. So, I try to encourage my students to think not only about the material, but also about their study habits, whether there are resources they can take advantage of outside the classroom, and how to build up their support system. When students say that I make them feel seen or that I make them feel like they belong, that's incredibly rewarding!

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

A couple anchors in my pedagogical philosophy include encouraging a growth mindset and proactively rather than passively supporting students. With respect to growth mindset, when students think someone else believes they can do better despite past performance, I think that helps them to become more resilient as learners and to hold themselves accountable to their effort and growth rather than to their initial outcomes. With respect to proactive support, if teachers wait for students to ask for help, their help will often arrive too late or not at all given that so many students don't ask for help either with the course material or when something else comes up outside the classroom. So, I try to get my students to think ahead when it comes to studying and cultivating habits, to anticipate obstacles, and to respond quickly to mitigate challenges and disappointments. I'm also deliberate in frequently sharing information about various campus offices and initiatives where students can access support for a variety of circumstances just in case it could be helpful—and often students say they didn't know that such help was available through campus. I'm less interested in helping my students learn content per se rather than in cultivating the skills, habits, and confidence to succeed as students no matter the subject. If they master those general things, then acquiring specialized content is relatively easy.

Is there a particular story from the classroom you would like to share?

When we were approaching mid-semester and had already had an exam, I led a workshop for my students on study habits and student success. Each student shared what they considered to be helpful or hindering to their success—success either in our specific class or in general. So, people mentioned challenges like remote learning, time-management, taking notes, loneliness, organization, pressure from themselves or from parents, comparison, etc. They also shared what works for them, whether they used a planner or different apps, how they took notes and planned their weekly schedule, how they incentivize themselves to study, how they deal with low motivation, and more. Making a space for these types of discussions using class time can communicate to students that TAs and professors care not only about grades, but also about how students are doing more generally and it was an opportunity to actively support them and meet them where they are. This ended up being an extremely rewarding class because students were collaborative in crowdsourcing resources and solutions, and some students shared that it was encouraging and community-building just to hear that other students were going through similar things and that there was a way forward.

What is a favorite teaching resource you would like to share with other graduate teachers?

A couple resources I'll mention are (1) Canva, a graphic design platform I use to make slides and handouts, (2) the playlist feature on YouTube, which I use to save and organize video clips that I want to use in the classroom to illustrate points, and (3) Arts & Letters Daily, which is a website that links to trending news, magazine articles, essays, etc. from a wide variety of sources. It has a very straightforward design and refreshes every day, and it's both a great resource for teachers to mine for real-world applications or illustrations of ideas discussed in class and it's a great resource for students who don't know where to start to become more well-read.

What are your recommendations for continuing or increasing student advocacy and engagement?

A few things TAs can do to increase student advocacy and engagement are (1) become more informed about what resources are available to undergraduates both in your specific discipline/department and across campus, (2) be proactive in sharing this information with students—in class, on Canvas, by email, in the syllabus, etc.—and then sharing it again...and again, (3) manage expectations: clearly communicate what you expect of students regarding participation and classroom interaction, and solicit their feedback on activities and class styles they like and whether they are more comfortable participating in some ways rather than other ways, (4) invite students to office hours early and often and keep inviting them and reminding them throughout the semester; some students find office hours intimidating or think you only go to office hours to discuss a bad grade, so it's helpful to clarify why and when students might consider attending office hours, and (5) helping students to see themselves as their own best advocates by encouraging them to ask for help, connecting them to resources, and helping them to take responsibility for their own education and growth by supporting their learning skills and confidence.

Tell us a fun fact about you that is not related to your teaching and research.

I'm really into foreign detective shows! Some of my favorites are Endeavour, Shetland, Bordertown, Bron/Broen, Broadchurch, Giri/Haji, Delhi Crime, Babylon Berlin, River, Case, Collateral, Marcella, The Tunnel, The Valhalla Murders, and Killing Eve...to name only a few...

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

I recently reread The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. Spoiler: the author kills off the philosophy student, which is amusing given that the author's brother is the well known philosopher Jonathan Barnes (I promise this is a very minor spoiler). The book is slim and devastating, but incredibly thoughtful in its reflections on time, memory, and how we (unreliably) narrate both what we've witnessed and who we take others—and ourselves—to be. Whether we've lived up to who we want to be in the time given us especially resonates with me. There's this great line at the beginning about how enough time devolves memories into certainty. For a more lighthearted page-turner, I thought Philip Pullman's La Belle Sauvage was great fun. It's a prequel to his original His Dark Materials series.

If you could have dinner with anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?

One person I'd like to meet is Raphael Lemkin. He came up with the term "genocide" and spent his life pushing for international laws and policies to manage and prevent war crimes and mass killing. He actively learned from history and tirelessly tried to prevent it from repeating itself, so much so that he died worn out and impoverished. He's exceptionally driven and inspiring.

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Teaching Excellence Spotlight - María J. Ruíz-Martínez

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 03:05:51 +0000

Teaching Excellence Spotlight - María J. Ruíz-Martínez Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/30/2021 - 21:05

María J. Ruíz-Martínez is a fifth year PhD student studying Education. Her research sits at the intersection of education, ethnic studies, and linguistics and examines how diasporic translingual youth use visual culture production to learn and teach across home, school, and community contexts. María was recently awarded a Teaching Excellence Award based on her teaching philosophy and dedication to her students. We asked María a few questions to learn more about her as a teacher and get to know her better. Read more below!

What is your favorite part about teaching?

Co-creating learning spaces with students of all ages! I never want to be far from the wonder of a preschooler who touches clay for the first time, the quizzical look of a middle schooler contemplating the world from a new perspective, the angst and excitement of a high school graduate uncertain about what comes next, and the awe and hard work of teacher candidates as they learn what being a teacher “really” means.

Please tell us a bit about your pedagogical philosophy.

I understand learning as a social, collective, and collaborative activity predicated on trusting relationships. Learners are not passive recipients of knowledge, but rather are (and need to be) active participants engaged in a process that takes place over time, requires multiple points of entry, accepts and builds from approximations and partial understandings, requires patience and persistence, and is a process of steps forward, backward, and sideways, always willing to incorporate that which we did not expect.

What is a favorite teaching resource you would like to share with other graduate teachers?

A resource I (re)visit frequently is Django Paris and H. Samy Alim's edited book Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World.

What is a good book you have read recently and why did you enjoy it?

I recently engaged Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes' Translocas: The Politics of Puerto Rican Drag and Trans Performance. This interdisciplinary and auto-ethnographic project beautifully captures the lives and work of Latinx “locas” (effeminate men, drag queens, transgender performers, and unruly women) as they oscillate between glamour and abjection in Puerto Rico and the diaspora. The nuanced queer-of-color articulation of communal ritual between the performers and their audience was particularly thought-provoking.

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