Teaching

My teaching interests include migration, refugees, globalization, China, Latin America, development, and research methods.

Teaching Philosophy

I strive to make my teaching a transformative experience of diversity, inclusion, and equity. Serving my undergraduate community with passion, I developed a Paulo Freire-inspired approach to pedagogy that seeks to dismantle barriers between students and instructors by focusing on the unique skills and lived experiences from which students are encouraged to discuss structural, global topics.  We commit to see, respect, and honor everyone’s identities and we hold each other accountable for this. At the beginning of each semester, my students and I develop together a series of community agreements that guide our behavior in class, increase our critical engagement with the course content, and create a brave and respectful environment where everyone can contribute and learn from each other. We establish common grounds to recognize our own and others’ privilege, suspend status, and use “I” statements to take ownership of what each of us says. In every class, we conduct small group discussions before engaging in a conversation with the whole class. The goal is to create a healthy space for learning that encourages listening to a diversity of thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.

I value experiential learning. In my classes, I use learning techniques that aim to increase student engagement in practical, mundane situations which they can both learn from and act upon. I use case study methods to expose students to existing struggles for social justice, and I amplify the voices of the communities and advocates who are leading those struggles by assigning materials such as resources made by them and, when possible, hosting them as guest lecturers. Additionally, after discussing research ethics, accountability to affected populations, and responsiveness with my students, I assign activities that require them to ethically interact with communities to make sense of how the content knowledge shared in the classroom relates to local actors. I have developed curricula that advance course-based learning outcomes that are specifically focused on employability skills, including collaborative research seminars and supervised internship experience.

Lastly, I am a firm believer in mentoring students. As a teacher-scholar, I involve students in my research projects and other opportunities like fellowships, internships, and volunteer opportunities. I also connect my students with alumni to facilitate the sharing of experiences and contacts. I have a record of success advising and mentoring individuals from groups under-represented in higher education. I advise my students in navigating a complex curriculum that includes specialization in thematic and regional concentrations, advanced language requirements, and study abroad. I have advised, supervised, and mentored diverse students who are first-generation in college, scholarship recipients, migrants, and refugees. I take pride and joy in mentoring my students in their next steps after graduation, whether it is pursuing graduate education or finding employment in their area of study.

Teaching Experience

2021-present | Lafayette College

2017-2021 | Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility

2016-2020 | The New School

2012-2013 | Anglo Americano College

Syllabus Repository

Global Migration Syllabus - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Global Migration

Latin America in Exile - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Latin America in Exile

Boundaries and Belonging Syllabus.pdf

Boundaries & Belonging

Climate, Cities and Migration Syllabus.pdf

Climate, Cities

and Migration

Food and Migration Syllabus - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Food & Migration

Globalization and Its Critics Syllabus - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Globalization and

Its Critics

Research Methods in International Affairs Syllabus - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Research Methods for International Affairs

Senior Capstone Syllabus - Douglas de Toledo Piza.pdf

Capstone Seminar in International Affairs