Teaching Credentials
Christina has a wide range of teaching experiences that focus on workshops and presentations outside of the traditional classroom setting. Her education efforts concentrate on development complexities: global environmental issues, climate change, ecology, biodiversity, world travels, indigenous cultures, and health/nutrition. Most of her teachings have been targeted toward a non-academic audience, as she believes her research interests lean toward the practical side of reaching community members.
Goals of Teaching
The goals for her audience are primarily to facilitate approachability to complex topics, awareness of our inter-connectedness with the environment, accessibility to change, and a comprehensive understanding of systems. She wishes to engage students and community members in critical thinking to acknowledge an individual’s role to be an active, responsible citizen participating in decision-making, problem solving, and planning. As a society today, we are constantly bombarded with much information; thus, it can be challenging to know how to make a positive impact. She believes in the importance to recognize various perspectives and complexities of any situation; therefore, she presents multi-faceted contexts allowing the individual and community to evaluate and apprehend their values and obligations. For that reason, in her perspective, a teacher is a guide to reinforce critical analysis and give space to make connections.
Values & Methods
Christina believes that her teaching principles are organized around sharing and interpreting information through the critical analysis of ideas and concepts. Her teaching methods include a multitude of visuals: graphics, statistics, quotes, comics, and stories. These are meant to stimulate the senses and enhance the information she expresses through presentations and workshops; too much text can be overwhelming. Her goal is to provide every student/audience member with information that empowers them to take action and consider alternative viewpoints.
She yearns to explain ideas and concepts in a comprehensive manner so individuals are captivated and motivated to learn. Communicating through films and documentaries are tools that she embraces.
She yearns to explain ideas and concepts in a comprehensive manner so individuals are captivated and motivated to learn. Communicating through films and documentaries are tools that she embraces.
The Age of Water: A Case Study of the California Drought
Costa Mesa, California - June 2015
This 2-hour workshop was devised to instill critical thinking skills while examining the various components in the current water “crisis” (drought). Her first goal was to create a story that utilizes the anthropogenic view of humans on this planet. She integrated information from various sources that include alternative news media, academic research, journal and magazine articles, conferences, and case studies from around the globe, regionally, and locally. |