Teaching Statement
Learning Objectives
As an instructor of economics, my primary goals are (1) to improve student’s critical thinking and analytical reasoning (2) for students to develop intuition for and understanding of economic principles, and (3) to inspire curiosity in how economics can be applied to the world around them. I believe that the study of economics gives students a unique framework through which they can see the world. I seek to arm students with the questions that will give them a new perspective on everything from hot dog stands to why bread and milk are sold out before every snowstorm.
Teaching Methods
To ensure students leave my classroom having achieved the above goals, I plan to draw on the four principles of andragogy when considering how to structure my lectures and assessments.
1) Students need to know why a lesson is relevant. Through at home readings and didactic lectures at the start of class meetings, students will have the necessary context and background to each lesson in order to understand its relevance. Furthermore, connecting specific models to real-world scenarios provides the opportunity for students to see the relevance of the course material to their own interests and can demonstrate the value of economic thinking. During one tutoring session, a student was struggling to understand how to graph a flat tax; she was intimidated by the graphs and equations we were using. Once I connected the graph to a policy I knew she cared about – the luxury tax on period products, the frustration in her eyes turned to fervor. She had a lot to say about who benefitted (and who did not) from such a tax, and it became easier for her to think through the moving pieces on the graph. Students with less confidence in their mathematical abilities can often be drawn out from the shadow cast by previous experiences by demonstrating how the material relates to something they are passionate about.
2) Students need to learn experientially. I plan to design problem sets in which students prove concepts to themselves and reenforce classroom discussion. In an introductory course, this may be walking through the construction of a budget constraint and determining where marginal rate of substitution equals the marginal rate of transformation. In a more advanced course, this may be working through the assumptions of an econometric model to understand what happens when each assumption is violated.
3) Students approach learning as problem-solving. To engage their problem-solving muscles, students will participate in various group activities during the latter half of lectures. In small groups, students will work together on challenging short answer questions, or in large groups, students will participate in simulations that demonstrate principles of scarcity, game theory, or adverse selection, to name a few. Together, as a group, students will work through problems allowing for them to learn from one another and for lessons to stick.
4) Students learn best when the lesson is of immediate value. In addition to a midterm and final exam, I plan to administer 4-6 unannounced quizzes over the course of a semester. Quizzes and midterms function to give students feedback on how they are doing in the course while providing ample opportunity to earn points. Students will be required to keep up with course material to succeed on unannounced quizzes which aids in their retention of the material. Furthermore, these grades provide me with feedback on how students are learning.
In addition to these four principles, I believe it is necessary to receive regular feedback on my teaching. Beyond test scores and homework grades, I plan to utilize exit tickets to ensure students are understanding the material and my teaching style is effective. For example, in the last five minutes of a lecture on alternative measures of poverty, I would have students anonymously answer what they felt the three main takeaways were. These exit tickets – quick surveys students are required to answer before leaving class – would give me a sense of how effective my lecture was and whether I need to slow down or change tactic. As an instructor, I too am learning, and by receiving regular feedback to which I can adjust throughout the semester, students have a better chance of absorbing the material.
Lastly, I seek to engage students through joy and humor. I aim to create an environment in which students feel safe asking the ‘dumb’ questions and can find enjoyment in challenging material. I found this especially effective in the midst of the pandemic when students were particularly taxed. While teaching instrumental variables to a class of master’s students, I developed a, somewhat absurd, example of measuring the impact of vigilantes on crime using the price of spandex as an instrument for vigilante presence. Although this example is not truly applicable to our world, I had students joking with me about IVs for years to follow. By drawing on student’s own interests and creating fun, engaging examples, students take a greater interest in the material and lessons stick.
Mentoring
As an instructor, I recognize that my job is not done once I leave the classroom. I aim to be a resource for students outside the classroom on both professional and personal topics. Using my own experience in the field to advise students is one of the most rewarding aspects of college teaching. As a research assistant working with Anna Gassman-Pines and Liz Ananat, I led a team of three undergraduates on an extensive data cleaning project. During this time working closely with my team, I provided guidance to these students on developing skills, career plans, and class selection. I learned that as a mentor, I can be most valuable not just by providing coaching based on my own experience, but also by connecting students with the resources or faculty that can best assist them. My goal is to be the type of mentor to which students can come knowing that I will do my best to support them and always have their best interest at heart.
Future Development
To best serve my students, I know it is vital for me to continue to engage in professional, pedagogical development by participating in trainings and incorporating student and peer feedback into my courses. Over the course of my graduate studies, I participated in the Certificate of College Teaching program which included rigorous coursework on pedagogy and an observational component. Going forward, I will continue to pursue opportunities, formal and informal, to learn from my colleagues and evolve as an instructor.