NYU Department of Teaching and Learning
In my second year on my Fulbright grant, I taught at Jinhu Elementary School. Click to see the commercial I starred in!
In my first year of my Fulbright grant, I lived and taught at National Taiwan College of Performing Arts boarding school.
Student taught & worked as a special education specialist at 6th grade at Hunt Middle School.
Flushed Out: Talking Toilets, the State of Sanitation, and the Basic Human Right to Go
Studied Elementary Education and Media, Journalism, and Digital Arts at Saint Michael's College
Went to Beijing, China, and across Mongolia to cross-examine media environments
Taught as a faculty intern and dorm faculty at Loomis Chaffee School's Summer Program
In my internship with the Vermont History Museum, I helped to organize the state National History Day competition.
Pathway Highlights
"The fundamental human experience is that of compassion."
Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on his Life and Work
Bundled in puffy jackets, winter boots, hats, and gloves, my sixth grade students and I set off to trek across the icy Antarctic terrain together. The biting wind whipped against our faces, wearing on our strength, forcing us to leave behind an entire sled of supplies in a snowbank. Working as a team, we eventually arrived at camp, where we built shelter, cooked potatoes, and fed the dogs. We did all of this before the school bell rang.
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With the power of a mentor text, classroom technology, and some imagination, our 6th grade team transformed into Ernest Shackleton’s team on an Antarctic expedition. Students used this team-building exercise as a catalyst to create digital graphic novels following the steps of Campbell’s hero’s journey. As a student teacher, I learned a fundamental lesson during this unit that will forever impact how I integrate media in the classroom: creative use of technology combined with real problem solving grounded in a strong narrative can empower learners to become the heroes of their own journeys.
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I am a K-8 educator transitioning into digital media design for young learners in my first semester of this DMDL masters program. Now, instead of analyzing hero’s journeys with my students, I’m starting on a journey of my own, having “crossed the threshold” into this new realm of educational media design.
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My experience as a Fulbright English teacher in Taiwan during the pandemic really made me understand the importance of accessible media with compelling narratives for students. Foreign English teacher turned digital storyteller in the age of COVID, I spent time digging for narratives that tapped into the consciousness and the lived experiences of my students, and learned that the power of a strong story is the greatest teaching tool. One of the keystones of learning science and constructivist philosophy is contextualized learning. Narrative contextualizes learning in a way that nothing else can: emotionally and cognitively. Creating digital media with a strong narrative adds a multisensory component to contextualize even further, with visuals (colors wracked with emotion, captivating effects) and audio (human voices, swelling melodies). I believe it is the job of a learning designer to harness the power of these effects to optimize learning, but not abuse them to feed into media addiction.
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I am interested in the concept of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors in children's literature. Windows allow students to see other perspectives. Mirrors help students see themselves. And sliding glass doors create opportunities for students to empathize, bringing their own experiences to new perspectives.
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I expect to face trials and tribulations as a learning designer and researcher in the field of educational technology, but I will look to these texts, my peers, and the stories all around us here in New York as mentors. And hopefully, I can return to the classroom in the form of digital media that encourages students to think critically and to take on new perspectives.
