Preparing students for life after schooling is central to my teaching philosophy. I design lessons that emphasize real-world application, drawing from my own clinical experiences to provide students with relevant anecdotes, practical exercises, and decision-making scenarios. I assess their ability to apply learned concepts to realistic situations and offer honest insights into the challenges and rewards of a career in behavior analysis. My goal is to equip students with the skills needed to advocate for themselves, become competitive job candidates, and excel as compassionate behavior analysts.

 

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Regardless of whether I am teaching online or in person, I begin every class by reviewing the agenda, ensuring students know what to expect and can prepare accordingly. I also share announcements and leave time for student questions.

 

When I was the instructor of record for Fundamentals of Behavior Analysis, I set up guided notes and whiteboard materials before each class. I printed out guided notes to remove barriers to effective note-taking and ensure students remained engaged. Now that I teach online master’s courses, my classes are heavily discussion-based rather than fluency-based, emphasizing critical thinking and application.

 

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In my Fundamentals of Behavior Analysis course,  I began each class with a short, five-minute quiz based on the assigned readings. Pedagogical research supports frequent testing as a way to enhance retention, promote mastery, and increase engagement with course material. In my online master’s courses, I maintain this structure by administering weekly quizzes to reinforce learning.

 

At the end of the semester, my master’s students complete an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project, which includes a research paper, presentation, and peer reviews. Students choose a developmental disability they are likely to encounter in their careers and research its symptoms, prevalence, trends, and etiology. They also evaluate pseudoscientific treatments, considering how to address misinformation while maintaining rapport with caregivers. Additionally, they explore broader societal issues—such as poor media representation, research gaps, and treatment deserts—and provide recommendations for behavior analysts working with these populations.

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I am intentional about enhancing student autonomy, providing individualized feedback, and reinforcing improvement.

 

To foster autonomy, I incorporate student choice into classroom activities whenever possible. I let students decide whether they prefer discussion-based or lecture-based classes, when they would like to select their project topics, and whether they prefer synchronous study groups or recorded lectures. I have found that student-led choices require little effort to implement but substantially increase motivation and engagement. Providing choice also sharpens students’ judgment, communication, and advocacy skills, which are essential for clinical work.

 

Individualized feedback is a cornerstone of my teaching. A strengths-based approach allows students to identify not only areas for improvement but also their existing strengths. Seeing tangible evidence of their progress over time builds confidence in problem-solving and critical thinking.

 

My feedback is both immediate and longitudinal. I assess participation in the moment while also considering students' performance over time. I track student participation across the semester, reinforcing improvement through praise and targeted feedback. If a student who rarely participates begins engaging more, I recognize and encourage that change. Conversely, if a usually engaged student suddenly withdraws, I check in to offer support. This same approach applies to quizzes and technical writing, ensuring my grading reflects both structure and flexibility—hallmarks of behaviorism.

 

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By considering students’ cumulative performance across multiple domains, I can observe and measure their growth in real-time. This approach allows me to track improvements in participation, quiz performance, and confidence while assessing their mastery of technical language and applied skills.

 

I have seen students who previously struggled in my course go on to master the material. My grade distribution is skewed right, with most students earning A’s—not because my courses are easy, but because I prioritize student outcomes, reinforce improvement over time, and create a structured yet supportive learning environment.

 

However, my ultimate goal is not for students to achieve a perfect GPA. My goal is to inspire great clinicians, researchers, and problem-solvers. I aim to instill values of kindness, ambition, perseverance, and a commitment to helping others. More often than not, I see glimpses of this success in my students’ work—and that is the greatest measure of all.