Rachel Schmitz

I am dedicated to implementing a variety of instructional methods to connect with students of varied learning styles and multicultural backgrounds. Additionally, this method guides students to draw linkages between micro and macro concepts that may be difficult to comprehend from a textbook alone. Relating to this teaching method, I strongly believe in interactive small group discussions to help stimulate wider class discourse. For example, I utilize a debate-style in-class activity centering on the role of pornography in society, whereby students develop arguments comparing the conflicting sides of this controversial debate. This allows them to apply scientific research and analyze their own perspectives in an inclusive, welcoming classroom environment. Though not all students are equally comfortable with sharing their thoughts in class, the dialogue of multifaceted opinions prompts them to introspectively examine their own beliefs. 

As students possess distinctive learning styles, I incorporate a variety of teaching methods into the classroom to accommodate distinctive student bodies. Experimenting with different teaching styles allows me to gauge the effectiveness of different methods while simultaneously expanding my own teaching repertoire. I encourage students to be active participants in the learning process, rather than passive absorbers of knowledge. For example, I use a photo diary assignment in my Sociology 4723 Sociology of Families course that allows students to visually illustrate examples of family diversity and key ideas present in their everyday lives. By taking photographs of their distinctive social worlds and applying family concepts to these examples, students connect abstract ideas and theories to their lived realities. A visual photo diary captures sociology in action, rather than understanding it through written text or classroom lecture alone. To enhance learning for all students, I am motivated to seek out further research on teaching and learning styles. Through a combination of connecting social dynamics to the everyday world and participating in group discussions with their peers, students cultivate their sociological imaginations.

My primary teaching objectives revolve around stimulating students' quest for further knowledge and fostering their awareness of social inequalities. Through lecture and discussion, I develop student learning into a desire for continued education. To reach this goal, I encourage open communication in the classroom by prompting students' questions and participation in discussions. I consistently share with students my high expectations for respectful classroom conduct so that they are well prepared to manage controversial class discussions. Concurrently, however, I also encourage students to critically examine these debates using data from research studies rather than solely relying on public and personal opinion. Through participation in my courses, students obtain a nuanced understanding of the science of social inequalities and the ways in which their social worlds are socially constructed.

 
Overall, my teaching philosophy rests on the belief that the goal of teaching and learning can only be reached through a dynamic, communal process of sharing, analysis, and discussion to celebrate social diversity. I have also mentored and advised students outside the classroom as a means of student development and support, particularly for underrepresented students. Through a balance of incorporating critical analyses and open discussions of controversial topics, students from a variety of disciplines can recognize the value of a sociological imagination.