Riyami D.

As a teacher, I believe in mixing up my teaching based on the material, rather than trying to fit the material into the same pedagogical box. Some classes are better taught focused on a discussion of a single quotation. Others work best by putting five or six authors in conversation with one another. Others thrive when an image, or a series of images, is the focal point of the conversation. In each class, at the very least, I try to engage students in a variety of ways, with visuals, sounds, and words. However, I also believe that less can be more. Each class I lead has a particular goal, and each discussion is the result of careful preparation. I don't want my students to leave class with their heads spinning from over- stimulation. I want them to engage the material at hand, and to leave each class with some concrete understanding. So I also try to end each class with three minutes of summation. Sometimes I recap for the students and leave them with three thoughts of the day. Other times, I ask them to take a moment and write down three things they learned and one question they have.