Kristen Murrell
DEI Statement
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are all at the forefront of my teaching philosophies. Without putting these at a priority, students might not feel the sense of comfort and safety that should be evoked when in the classroom. I aim to provide safety, comfort, and productive learning opportunities for everybody in my classroom, and this all starts with incorporating principles of DEI.
There are several ways in which I incorporate principles of DEI into my teaching practice. Listed below are some concrete examples:
I introduce my pronouns when meeting a new group of students, or if a guest joins a class. This opens up the platform for students/guests to bring up their preferred pronouns if they wish, taking off that burden of being the first one to do so.
I present information in my lectures in a variety of different formats and use a variety of different teaching styles within my instruction. This makes the information being taught more accessible to my wide range of students, letting whatever format/teaching style resonates most with them to provide the information.
I give concrete, real world examples to theoretical teaching. This allows my students to see the ‘big picture’ of the concepts we are covering and helps those students who don’t necessarily understand theory very well. (I was that student!)
Beyond all of these concrete examples, I will also make an effort to get to know each and every one of my students. This will give me a basis as to what their interests are, which teaching styles work best for them, and will allow me to form a connection with them so that they feel safe and like they are receiving a supportive and inclusive education.