Reflections on Teaching

I am attentive to the ways we tell stories. In my teaching, I emphasize the role that narrative plays in our understanding of history and culture—not only the voice or perspective, but the medium and method.

• As an ethnomusicologist, ethnography is a key factor in my pedagogy. Work that is about communities should involve the community. In “Drag on the American Screen,” I guided students to conduct fieldwork (in-person or digital) in local drag communities. I also worked with local performers and producers to coordinate an online event hub so interested students could maintain involvement throughout the semester. I received feedback from students that they appreciated the guided fieldwork, as many did not know there was a thriving queer community outside of campus, and from community members noting the influx of community engagement.

• Some of my favorite semesters have been when I tailored discussion sections around Pauline Oliveros’s deep listening. For example, Introduction to the Study of Music aimed to challenge pre-conceived notions of musical elements as found in the Western Art Music tradition. I furthered this goal by using assignments like a listening journal with prompts, in-class [deep] listening exercises, and small group discussions to help students develop skills in listening with their whole bodies rather than just their ears. These skills were reflected in their concert reports and final ethnographic projects. They had developed an awareness and functional language to describe their own personal engagement with the material.

• I am a proponent for using project-based methods to help instill a sense of agency in a topic. Reaffirmed by student evaluations and feedback, I utilize small group discussions throughout the semester for students to approach our topic collaboratively while also giving them the space to educate their peers on their own research processes and outcomes. These are especially important in an age of online learning.

Instructor of Record

Graduate Student Instructor

Guest Lecturer

Teaching Assistant