​My journey into education was inspired by my passion to write. I felt so grateful for the refuge of the page that I wanted to share this with others.  It was a private space to expand personal freedom and increase awareness of the world outside.

 

Sometimes you don’t fully understand what you think until you see it on the page.

 

Teaching gave me the tools to inspire my own creativity and the creativity of others. As a graduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, I learned to teach female writers of the multicultural canon. Authors like Sandra Cisneros, Toni Morrison, and Joy Harjo. These writers influenced me greatly, later forming the basis of my pedagogy--which is steeped in a concern for social justice, equity, and inclusion. My students come from diverse backgrounds--many are first-generation college students. I have adapted my teaching methods to meet their educational needs. For example, I designed numerous courses in accelerated, hybrid, and online formats to appeal to students with diverse skill levels and learning styles. I embrace active learning principles in the classroom, and often include Service Learning projects on the course calendar. In addition, I use today's technologies to connect with students, using the tools they come to expect in their day-to-day lives. This creates a vibrant classroom where we engage with contemporary topics to stimulate growth, expression, and self-discovery. 

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