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I conceive my classroom as a place that combines rigorous hard work with joy and fun. Learning demands both the fun of playing with ideas, curiosity and freedom, and the hardness of reworking concepts and theories. Both complementary parts are needed for learning.

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I believe that kindness, empathy and compassion are not just topics to be taught as part of a separate programme, but that these social-emotional skills are crucial aspects in education that should be incorporated into the curriculum and all educational practices. These principles are practical acquired skills that can be taught, learnt and developed through reflection and practice for social justice and will last throughout one’s lifetime. Applying these principles in the classroom creates opportunities for educators and learners to make connections beyond knowledge that contribute to a classroom environment of openness, compassionate listening and human connections.
See resources HERE.

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A decolonised education challenges lack of diversity, omissions, hidden curriculums and “unconscious bias” of an ethnocentric curriculum and promotes a cultural practice that interrogates the positionality and plurality in the production of knowledge. A decolonised education questions the myths of meritocracy and calls attention to structural inequalities that create unequal conditions for students at every step of their journey.
See resources HERE.

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I use this image to illustrate a core concept in my teaching philosophy: intersectionality (a lens to highlight the interplay of factors such as race, social class, sexual orientation, migrant status). The women and the man in the picture might be blood-related, but because of gender ideologies and structural inequalities in rural Peru, men enjoy more mobility to urban areas, wear western clothes and are more fluent in Spanish; while their sisters, mothers and wives stayed at home, wear traditional clothes and as a result,  “women are more indigenous than men”.
See more resources HERE.

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5. Reflective thinking and co-learning: Students as Partners

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5. Reflective thinking and co-learning: Students as Partners

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My teaching draws on social movement pedagogies (feminist movement, LGBTQ+ movement, liberation pedagogy and decoloniality) that seek to promote critical and reflective thinking by encouraging students to apply concepts in everyday situations and to own their learning process. Learning is “situated” and cannot be dissociated from our personal experiences and the context in which it occurs. Rather than a goal to achieve, learning is an ongoing process of “co-learning” in which both students and teachers are learners involved in creating, expanding and gaining knowledge and skills. Co-learning promotes a collaborative, democratic and creative community of learners.

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Heteronormativity (the assumption that everybody is heterosexual) and the expectations of “proper” masculinities and femininities permeate all aspects of our lives, and are part of a hidden curriculum in education. A hidden curriculum is what is not taught but is nonetheless learnt and shapes how content is presented. LGBTI+ issues can be perceived as irrelevant and marginal in education and, subsequently, teachers and students learn to conform to their invisibility. A critical emancipatory approach to education should challenge the hidden curriculum. I believe that LGBTI+ visibility is not only a pedagogical tool but a duty to our LGBTI+ students and community.
- See resources on LGBTI inclusion in education HERE.

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1. Learning as a kaleidoscope + Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

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1. Learning as a kaleidoscope + Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

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I envision the learning environment as a space of uniqueness, diversity and inclusion in which each participant brings something different to the classroom and is valued. I use the metaphor of the kaleidoscope to illustrate this core principle in this module. Under the framework of University Design for Learning (UDL), I understand that each student learns differently. This module strives to be a space for inclusion by providing a learning environment for all regardless of background, personal circumstances such as age, disability, pace of study, etc.