#RESIST. Geography Building, Berkeley, CA. Photo Credit: SocImage
Teaching Philosophy
|
In teaching Geography and Development Studies, I want students to understand themselves – their histories, their knowledges, their practices – in relation to their local communities and the world. I show how histories of expropriation, slavery and colonialism have produced and continue to produce our contemporary geographies of power and difference. I believe students learn best when they are both analyzing social theory and grounding such theory in empirical practice. I share what I have learned through my life and work, and encourage students to draw on their experiences to transform the material we read. In so doing, I aim to equip students with the analytical tools necessary for responding to urgent contemporary global challenges.
I have honed my teaching skills through my work with diverse students across multiple disciplines and institutions. In California, I have taught community college transfer students, first generation university students, international and mature students. In Arizona, I taught Freshman English and Reading Improvement to ELL (English Language Learner) students. My teaching interests fall into the areas of critical human geography, development studies, political economy, postcolonial/feminist science and technology studies, critical race theory, and African studies. I have designed and taught Natures and Cultures, as the instructor of record. I have also been a graduate student instructor for Introduction to Geography, Introduction to Development Studies, and Development in History and Theory. |
Photo Credit: Leopold Podlashuc
Current Syllabi |
What Students Say
"Erin was really wonderful as a GSI, and helped make my experience in DS100 a very positive one. She went above and beyond with helping me to learn, and she was always willing to make time to answer my questions." - Spring 2014
"Erin is amazingly helpful. I was consistently impressed by how I was supported by her, especially in essays. She taught me how to write!" - Spring 2014
"Erin's discussion sections were extremely helpful in helping me get a deeper understanding of course material. We haven’t taken the exam yet, but Erin this entire semester has done a great job of preparing us. Also a big portion of the class was writing our research essays, and Erin was integral in that process – she always took time to answer my many questions (in and outside of class) and really helped me to improve my writing and research." - Spring 2013