Teaching Philosophy
Teaching and learning inherently involve an intricate interplay of language, culture, and identity: engaging within and across the boundaries of different languages and cultures has the power to transform our identities, and to help us better understand unfamiliar realities. This, I believe, can foster inclusive and equitable communities and societies.
As a teacher, I have the extraordinary opportunity to contribute to the deconstruction and reconstruction of diverse ways of knowing and being by creating affordances for meaningful interpersonal and intercultural dialogue. Across cultures, language is our most powerful tool for exchanging information, forming viewpoints, building relationships, and constructing our lives. Adult language learners, in particular, come with lifetimes of experience and expertise, which makes each university class a unique site of multilateral knowledge exchange.
In this process of knowledge co-construction, I understand my role as that of a mediator who has the privilege and responsibility of cultivating a respectful and critical classroom environment conducive to vulnerability, risk-taking, and growth. To this end, I believe it is essential to recognize learners as holistic beings; to understand their diverse goals and motivations, and to personalize each class towards their needs, interests, and abilities. I believe it is also crucial to be aware of and responsive to learners’ diverse backgrounds through an andragogical approach of plurality.
In my teaching, I enact plurality by explicitly communicating a deep respect for diversity in all its forms, exposing learners to diverse epistemologies and ontologies through classroom materials, and offering a variety of multimodal assignment choices for learners to express their unique learning experiences and identities.
As my own teacher identity continues to evolve, I remain committed to uniting theory with practice, continually reflecting on my teaching and learning experiences, collaborating with diverse colleagues, and contributing to new perspectives in the field. Education completely changed my life. This is what drives my desire to foster meaningful, memorable, and transformative learning experiences for others.
Courses
I teach university courses in Academic English, Research Skills, English for Teaching, English for Effective Communication, and Canadian Studies.
Student Evaluation Comments
Academic English Student, 2019
I am very glad to meet such a patient and open-minded teacher. I used to feel inferior and even a little afraid, but Rebecca made me become confident and dare to break through my psychological barriers to speak English boldly.
English for Teaching Student, 2021
Rebecca is very experienced in explaining how to learn a language. All the skills I learned in this class are useful and I won't forget. The lovely classes made me more comfortable to talk in English. The whole experience is memorable.
Research Skills Student, 2022
I am very grateful for everything Rebecca has given me and my classmates. She is a wonderful person in heart and soul; she loves her work endlessly, which is evident because of her ability to make the class interesting and enjoyable.
Canadian Studies Student, 2023
Rebecca is really nice! She is very funny, and our class is always full of laughter. She is also very patient and considerate. Sometimes I can't think of some words to say in English. She will always help me. I really love her!
English for Effective Communication Student, 2023
I did not have confidence to speak English, so I was very nervous before start the class. Now, Rebecca's class makes me want to become global person. I will keep study English and other language after the class.
Supervisor Feedback Messages
2019
Your activity instructions were very clear and specific. I really liked how you monitored the students’ progress, providing immediate individual feedback and also stopping them at appropriate intervals to provide input for the entire class. The activity was well-timed, and I was glad to see the students applying your feedback to the task right away.
2021
Your feedback is thoughtful and clear. Your personal message to each student is very nice. I like that you point out the error, but also provide suggestions for the student to improve their answer. I especially like that you point out what the student did well. Overall, your grading is on point and clear.
2022
It does my heart good to see such extensive and supportive feedback on everything you do (not just for this batch of assessments). It’s clear you put a lot of time and thought into the feedback you provided for your learners and I’m sure they appreciate it.