MAGDELENA MARTINEZ

TEACHING

Today’s college students balance multiple responsibilities, including full-time employment, raising families, supporting members of their family and community, and they are more likely to be female and the first in their family to attend college.  

As a first-generation college student, I personally share many of these similarities and now feel a deep sense of responsibility to be the best teacher I can be. I strive to engage, challenge, and inspire new ways for my students to understand the world. As a professor, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and create ways to engage students in research projects and connect these experiences to what they learn in the classroom. 

I believe that every student can look at the world of policy, leadership, and education through a different lens if engaged in collaborative modes of teaching and learning. To create an environment in which students can learn, I ground my teaching philosophy in four key principles.

 

    • I believe it is important to respect differences to engage in meaningful and collaborative teaching and learning environments.
    • I believe meaningful teaching and learning occurs when students and professors are part of a dynamic exchange that expands and builds upon their knowledge.
    • In my teaching experience, learning occurs when students are challenged and supported to become reflective practitioners and scholars.
    • When I hold high expectations of students, they are responsible, and with guidance, they draw on internal and external resources to enhance their learning and development.

One word summarizes how I translate my philosophy to practice: transparency. In all my courses, I aim to provide clear and transparent learning objectives through detailed syllabi.

A common comment from students is they welcome and appreciate the detailed learning objectives and description of how assessments align with these objectives. I teach master and doctoral graduate courses in the following areas: organizational theory, administration, diversity, education policy, qualitative methods, and public affairs

Student Comments 

This class so far has exceeded all my expectations. The focus of the class has both opened my eyes to the inequities within the school system and what little has been done about it. The most valuable lesson I have learned in this course so far is in regard to the socio-economic factors that have caused the current inequities we see within the education system today.

Graduate student, Education Policy class

The most valuable lesson from our class at this moment is to look at the problems that do not occur at the first moment when we are creating policies. Before this class, I never realized many difficulties that school districts in low-income communities face, and to what extend the inequality between schools is expressed. 

Graduate student, Education Policy class

Because the course thus far has been made clear by you, and given the robust and energized discussion we have in person or online each week, I feel well-equipped to continue the journey in this course.   

Graduate student, Education Policy class 

So far, this course has been more eye-opening for me personally.  I originally intended going into this class like any other class I have taken, but after the first discussion, I realized that I was being challenged.  I soon realized that the information and subject matter in this course to be relevant and closely relatable to my life.  I saw the 22 page syllabus to be overwhelming, but necessary, as it goes over the course in detail along with the expectations for assignments to be laid out in the provided rubrics. 

Master student, Public Administration class

I exceedingly enjoy this class. I find the frequent blog style writings helps me to internalize and engage with the subject matter in a non-threatening writing style. I’m excited about the final paper and having the chance to explore honing research skills of interest. I am also looking forward to the group assignment and having a chance to teach a graduate class! However, I understand the struggle of working full-time, attending graduate school at UNLV, and trying to maintain a semblance of life outside of work and school. The struggle is REAL.  

Master student, Public Administration class

The great thing about this class is that it addresses the most important factors of qualitative research. It’s designed to break down the process of proposing a qualitative study into a controllable way. Sitting in a room led by an excellent professor in the company of excellent scholars helps me gain more knowledge in this course. 

Doctoral student, Public Affairs class