LAUREN N.

GRIFFIN | TEACHING STATEMENT

I view learning as an active, social, and contextual process. I see my role as a facilitator who
equips students with the tools to become analytical thinkers that critically examine the world
around them. As an instructor, I help students understand the relevance of sociology to their
everyday lives and enlist them as co-creators of knowledge. Reflection and revision are also
important elements of my teaching philosophy since course design and instruction are iterative
processes.
The social sciences are invested in the study of complex human relationships—a world in
which there is rarely one “right” answer. To face this challenge directly and prompt students to
think critically in multifaceted ways, I invite controversial topics into my classroom with
intention. For example, introductory courses commonly use theoretical perspectives that serve
as lenses with which to view society. In order to teach these approaches and encourage students
to explore topics from multiple angles, we analyze subjects such as immigration, the gender pay
gap, and affirmative action with role play and debate. These activities yield positive results as
students report a more thorough understanding of sociological concepts and an awareness of
the complexity of contemporary social issues.
Students in my classes actively engage with course content by linking the material to their
everyday lives. I often leverage background knowledge by asking everyone to brainstorm what
they already know about a given subject while playing a topical song at the start of class. We
then use this as a springboard for discussion, giving me the opportunity to build on prior
understandings while simultaneously addressing any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge. I
also make explicit connections to current events by assigning weekly presentations where small
groups find and discuss a recent news article connected to a course topic. Through this
application and analysis, students gain a sense of ownership over the subject, build a deeper
understanding of the material, and are able to appreciate its broader implications outside the
classroom. In their feedback, students have shared that these presentations “showed the real-life
application of the concepts we were learning” and “really added relevance to the class”.
Rather than acting as a formal authority figure, I challenge students to take ownership over
the learning process and become self-directed learners. One way of supporting this is allowing
students’ questions and interests to guide classroom conversations and research projects. I ask
everyone to submit two discussion questions prior to each class, which I use to structure the
lesson and I focus on listening and asking open-ended questions during large group
discussions. Students in my previous classes have used their new knowledge of research
methods to collect primary data through mini-ethnographies and pilot in-depth interviews. I
have also worked one-on-one with students on research projects of their own choosing, which
encourages personal investment and equips them with the tools they need to make social
discoveries of their own.
From the start of the semester, I foster open communication both inside and outside the
classroom. I ask that everyone attends my office hours in the first week of the term, where I talk
with students about their background and interests, their motivations for taking the course, and
ways I can make the learning experience more comfortable and effective for them. Students also
have the opportunity to ask me questions about the course or my approach to teaching. Inside
the classroom, I am transparent about my instructional choices by explaining the purpose and
goals for various readings, activities, and assignments, and students receive detailed rubrics
prior to each graded activity. As a class, we discuss what it means to build a learning
community and communicate in a respectful manner. On the first day of the semester, we
collectively brainstorm what a good classroom discussion looks like and determine a set of
classroom norms. Whenever issues arise later in the semester, I point toward these expectations
to guide students toward more productive and respectful conversations. These efforts create a
space centered on open communication and mutual respect between the students and me.
I affirm students’ diversity in the classroom by incorporating inclusive teaching practices
into each stage of my course design. This begins by constructing a syllabus with diverse
readings and authors while aiming for course content with cultural and global breadth. I also
ensure that my policies are accommodating of students’ needs and take a holistic approach to
student success. I make clear and consistent the opportunities students have for flexibility or
extensions. Rather than assuming every person possesses the knowledge necessary to thrive in
college, I make that information available and explicitly teach any skills I require before
evaluating them. This past year, that took the form of creating a course website with online
learning modules that covered basic academic competencies such as peer review and discussion
participation.
I employ teaching strategies that acknowledge students as a diverse group, both in terms of
life experience and the ways in which they learn. In particular, I have added a number of active
learning techniques to my repertoire that have been shown to engage students with different
backgrounds, learning styles, and levels of preparedness. These include a variety of formative
assessments such as free writing, small group work, and peer instruction. In my Modern
Romance course, we held a mock congressional hearing on the Healthy Marriage Initiative, a
federal marriage promotion policy. Every member of the class actively participated in this
exercise and seemed to enjoy transferring their knowledge and analytical skills to a new
context. I have found that assignments like this are a particularly good way of using the
diversity of the classroom as an asset, since students benefit from one another’s perspectives
and understandings of the material.
Purposeful and frequent assessments and solicitation of feedback are useful for evaluating
student learning and reflecting on the effectiveness of my own teaching. By scaffolding larger
projects into gradual stages such as outlines, drafts, peer review, and revisions, I have students
build up to more complex tasks. I incorporate low-stakes assessments throughout the term,
such as free writing, think-pair-share, and small group work. These techniques guide my
improvements in the ongoing teaching and learning process as I determine whether students
are meeting the intended goals. I also conduct mid-semester evaluations and solicit student
feedback, allowing me to look for patterns and make adjustments to the course before it ends.
I intend to further my professional development as an instructor by publishing and staying
up to date on the latest scholarship on teaching and learning. I will continue to incorporate new
evidence-based practices into my classroom. I aim to maintain a reflexive approach to teaching
through soliciting feedback and reevaluating my materials, techniques, and assessments.
Ultimately, all of my pedagogical strategies are dedicated to reshaping how my students view
the social world in a way that remains with them long after they leave the classroom.

Griffin Teaching Statement 2