Q&A with Dr. Harris

I was inspired to pursue a career in teaching because I yearned for a career where I would have an actual impact on the world. I’m a firm believer that education is truly the great equalizer; however, we often fall short of providing equitable education to all. Teachers are in an incredibly unique position to help foster the unique talents and abilities of our young people in indelible ways.

My favorite part about teaching at Duquesne is my students. I have some of the brightest and most talented students who are committed to their learning, their aspirations of becoming teachers, and who want to effect real, actionable change. Being able to teach my students reaffirms my dedication to learning, education and social justice.

I love the community that is established within the School of Education that includes the faculty, staff and students. Within the School of Education, support and community building are two things that were evident when I first began. I immediately felt welcomed by my colleagues, and that means a lot.

My best advice is advice that I received, which is to be authentic to yourself in everything that you do. To know what your “why” is as an aspiring teacher, and to hold onto that and cultivate that throughout your time at Duquesne and our School of Education.

My teaching style is rooted in critical consciousness, equity and culturally responsive pedagogy. I prioritize creating inclusive and reflective learning environments where students are encouraged to critically engage with the material and connect it to their lived experiences. I blend innovative and traditional teaching methods, using tools like films (Inside Out, Lean on Me), games and interactive activities to make complex concepts accessible and engaging. Ultimately, my teaching style exemplifies a balance between academic rigor, empathy and innovation, where I work to empower students to engage critically and ethically in their educational journeys and beyond.

Aside from learning content in any of my classes, I hope that my students will be inspired and empowered to be changemakers and ultimately do amazing things in their careers. I hope that they further build their capacity to show empathy, and to show care and love, and make those aspects of themselves integral to their own teaching and interactions with their students.

This past semester, my students and I broke from the classroom setting in Canevin and we had a week of class outside, sitting on Rooney Field by the stone steps. This was such a great experience to take advantage of the beautiful weather and to introduce a change of scenery to my students. I think we were all reinvigorated, and it also helped with student participation!

One piece of advice that I wish I had been told when I was a student is that failure is an important part of the learning process, and it is necessary to fail to reach success. Often, we coach students not to fail, and that is dangerous. We learn important lessons from failure, and we can use failures as teachable moments to point us to success.

My students are always surprised to learn that I did not always plan on being a teacher. In undergrad, I was a political science major with aspirations of working in politics, but after an internship experience, I didn’t think it was my calling. That’s when I began working for a program called Upward Bound as a tutor and mentor and realized that working with students was something I was extremely passionate about and good at.

I am a very big gamer, I’ve always loved video games, and I love to cook! I’m always experimenting and trying new recipes.

My favorite thing about Duquesne’s campus is how vibrant and green the campus is. I enjoy coming to campus during the summer and just going for a walk on a nice day, it’s truly picturesque!

I am originally from Ohio, but I grew up coming to Pittsburgh visiting my family that lives here. My favorite thing to do in the city would be Kennywood! It’s a classic, and I spent so many birthdays as a kid going to Kennywood, so it’s something that’s super nostalgic to me.  

My favorite place to eat in the city is a restaurant called Carmi Soul Food.

My research delves into three key areas: (1) the self and identity development of K-12 Black and Brown students, emphasizing the evolution of these identities over time to shape educational practice and theory; (2) the psychological and cultural impact of stress on minoritized populations, particularly Black students and teachers; and (3) the critical re-examination of educational psychology theories to better align them with the diverse experiences and needs of today’s learners.

Currently, I have two articles under review that explore the connection between K-12 curriculum and its impact on the racial identity development of Black students, and I have an article that is soon to be published through The Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research (JULTR) that discusses the issue of book banning and educational censorship and how Black teachers may be affected.