Pedagogy

My pedagogical approach prioritizes ‘meeting students where they are’. Aided by their encounters with the course material, students’ social explorations help guide our classroom discussions. Even as the lecturer, I seek to construct a classroom environment in which professor and students work in tandem to nurture our collective sociological imagination. Feedback and ongoing refinement of approach are essential components of my pedagogy. I will routinely self-critique after a lesson, making note of what worked and what could be improved. I have experience teaching various kinds of students and preparing them for life after college. Whether students are the first in their family to go to college or a legacy Ivy League student, my approach is to embolden their natural curiosity and to provide an educational environment that is both challenging and productive.

Courses Taught

Instructor

Prison Nation (Guest Lecture) Yale University. Spring 2024

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity Quinnipiac University. Fall 2023

Introduction to Sociology. Quinnipiac University. Spring 2023

Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration (Guest Lecture) Yale University. September 2020

Teaching Fellow

Sociology Senior Essay Yale University. Fall 2024

Prison Nation Yale University. Spring 2024

Health and Illness in Social Context Yale University. Fall 2023

Inequality, Economic Mobility, and Public Policy Yale University. Spring 2023

Managing Blackness Yale University. Fall 2022

Political Sociology Yale University. Summer 2021

Methods of Social Inquiry Yale University. Spring 2021

Race, Ethnicity and Immigration Yale University. Fall 2020

Student Feedback

  • “Professor Thomas was a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable professor…We broached many difficult/controversial subjects and I felt that she fostered an environment where everyone felt safe to share their opinions and communicate. She communicates clearly and really is rooting for us to succeed and provides us with the resources we need for success.”

  • “Kayla was an amazing TF who always made discussion fun, entertaining, and educational. I truly appreciated her feedback and the effort she put into meeting with students in her section. My group and I were able to reach out to Kayla for one-on-one feedback. Even during busy times, she makes the effort to be there for her students. In discussion, Kayla did an excellent job at summarizing the course concepts while giving her sections transparency about the course and grades! She was very efficient at grading and oftentimes provided feedback that was very helpful for future assignments and sociological papers.”

  • "Kayla was always accessible to students for comments and concerns about the course. She provided thorough feedback on any assignments. The themes of the course were directly applicable to everyday life because of the connections between course material and everyday life that were facilitated by Kayla."

  • "Kayla is so wonderful!! She clearly understands where her students are coming from and wants them to succeed."