Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

Kristen is continuously committed to ensuring equitable access to instruction for all students. She believes that students who earn a degree in political science do so because they care about their communities and want to have a positive impact on the world. Kristen works to ensure her classes allow students to develop the skills to make this impact. For students who are not in the major, Kristen works to ensure they understand how political processes impact the fields in their major. She also works to help them develop the skills necessary to navigate their every day interactions with government and politics. She works to help students develop their content knowledge and writing & critical thinking skills. She also strives for students to engage in class discussions with empathy towards those with differing political views. She encourages students to engage with one another with suspended judgement while upholding their own beliefs.

Kristen’s goals as an instructor and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion comes from her time as a public school teacher with Teach For America. Kristen balances maintaining high expectations for her students to succeed while also providing individualized accommodations to help her students access course materials.

Visiting Assistant Professor

  • Brown University, Spring 2024: Introduction to the Legislative Process (lower-level seminar)
  • Brown University, Fall 2023: Women and American Politics (upper-level seminar)

Adjunct Lecturer

  • Connecticut College, Spring 2023: Introduction to American Government, Senior Seminar: US Social Movements
  • Connecticut College, Spring 2022: Introduction to American Government

Teaching Assistant

  • Spring 2023: The US Presidency
  • Fall 2022: Introduction to American Government
  • Summer 2021: U.S. Congress
  • Spring 2021: Polarized Politics
  • Fall 2020: Theory of U.S. Constitutional Law
  • Spring 2020: U.S. City Politics
  • Fall 2019: Introduction to American Government

Courses

  • Introduction to American Politics
  • The U.S. Congress
  • U.S. Social Movements
  • Women and American Politics
  • Introduction to the Legislative Process
  • Introduction to Quantitative Methods and RStudio
  • Research Design and Mixed Methods