If my teaching philosophy could be summed up simply, I’d say it’s a combination of “loving justice” (Kai Cheng Thom, 2021) and a deep commitment to always centering students as collaborators and leaders in their own academic journeys. I desire to build better academic cultures in which all students and mentees can be themselves and still thrive.My motivations here are both personal and professional. Knowing that I owe my approach to the good and the bad, I highlight my philosophy and praxis below—though, I would like to immediately note that containing my passion for and experiences in teaching to two pages leaves many things undetailed, so I welcome the opportunity to share more in the future.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Being a lifelong learner is seemingly a primary directive of mine. I am constantly trying to solve the puzzle that is the “science of teaching and learning.” These days, my questions generally center around how we more effectively prepare students for the reality of what lies ahead of them. How do we take their anxiety, anguish, despair, confusion and rage and transmute it into passion, action, and healing? What are the best practices for cultivating a critical mind? A sharp, yet genuine tongue? When and where do we engage in the practice of vulnerability, softness, and testimonial? What skills do our students and mentees need to survive the end of the world. You may be thinking, “Ethan, the end of the world? That’s a bit… dramatic…” But, I assure you that many of the students I share space and time with are thinking about their social realities in these ways.

With attention to how conversations ask student to explore their own minds and chart a path forward, we remain open and curious, even if critical and angry. We are a community of learners and a community of practice, coming together to try and imagine future worlds worth living. I directly ask students, “what are you interested in?” and “what are you unlearning,” so that I can provide access to materials and resources that students desire to engage with. When we center their lived experiences as important—vital even!—we can work to connect them to people and communities that act as archives of history and knowledge. When we tell students that they can, in fact, do something and then give them the tools to follow through, we foster empowerment and validation.

These ways that I engage, in large part, stem from my own experiences of trauma, invalidation, and exploitation. Knowing that extant research all but proves I am not unique in the violence I experienced, I approach all mentoring relationships non-hierarchically, non-carcerally, and with a focus on equity and justice. A fierce advocate for health and wellbeing, I make sure to remind mentees that the most important thing they can do for themselves in the academy is to take care. Here, I aim to nurture the development of a whole human, not just an individual intellect; and, at the end of our time together, I hope students are able to not only elucidate complicated concepts about our social world to folks both within and outside of the academy, but also effectively advocate for change. 

PEDAGOGICAL EXAMPLES

I've tried out numerous formative and summative assessment techniques, and in longer courses I’ve engaged in specs grading, contract grading, and pass/fail points-based policies. I use multimodal technology and like to keep up with the platforms that are not only the easiest to use and most appealing to students, but also the most universally accessible. Every time I teach, I learn something new about myself, the college student population, and the class topical area. As brief examples of how this process tangibly plays out, you can find course material linked below:

• Fall 2024 Pre-Class Questionnaire

• Fall 2024 GSWS 201 Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Course Manual

• Fall 2024 GSWS 620 Canvas Course Home Page 

• Fall 2024 GSWS 201 Section One Slide Deck and Interactive Lecture

• Fall 2025 GSWS 620 Theorizing Sexuality Seminar Discussion Notes