Teaching Philosophy
I teach because I want to encourage collective thinking wherein possibility, care, and complexity abound. That is, my teaching is very much about guiding students through the difficult, but crucial work of thinking, writing, and reading about topics that are intimately entwined with how we each move through the world differently.
Courses Taught
Education 640 – Essential Theory in Teaching and Learning (Fall 2024)
In this graduate course, students focus on foundational knowledge in teaching and learning in higher education, including equity, accessibility, scholarly teaching, digital pedagogies, and professional skills.
McMaster University — Enrolment: 19
English 3GF3 – Studies in Popular Genres: Zine and Zine-Making (Summer 2024)
This course approaches the zine as a literary cultural genre with its own range of forms and methods, which works to provide commentary on systems of power such as capitalism, transnationalism, white supremacy, etcetera. Following cultural studies scholars as well as feminist zine-makers, it offers a study of cultural theory, poetry, narrative, visual culture, culture jamming, collage, archival practices, and more.
McMaster University — Enrolment: 95
Education 760 – Self-Directed Study (Spring/Summer 2024)
In this graduate course, students engage in a self-directed study on a teaching and learning topic of their choice and undertake a project with either a research or applied focus.
McMaster University — Enrolment: 4
English 3A03: Critical Race Studies (Winter 2023)
This course offers an introduction to the foundations and frameworks of Critical Race Studies and Critical Race Theory, exploring scholarly theorizing and activist critiques of race, racialization, and racism.
McMaster University — Enrolment: 43
English 4AW3: Asian American Writing (Winter 2022)
This seminar course offers a focused study of contemporary Southeast Asian North American and Southeast Asian diasporic texts, visuals, poetics, sonics, and practices from the late-2010s and 2020s.
McMaster University — Enrolment: 11
Teaching and Learning Training
The Educational Development Fellows Program: a part-time paid experiential learning opportunity at the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching (2023-2024).
“Intersections in Diversity“: Co-Curricular Program Developer for Student and Enrolment Services at the University of Calgary, funded in part by the Campus Mental Health Strategy (2018).
Collaborative Learning and Peer Mentoring (CMCL / ARTS 507) and Research in Peer Mentoring and Higher Education (CMCL / ARTS 509): two practical courses with a two-term 90-hour practicum engaging with learning theories and research at the University of Calgary (2015-2016).
Recent Guest Lectures
CSIS 300: Introduction to Critical Studies in Sexuality
“An Asexuality Studies Approach to Critical Sexuality Studies” — January 31, 2025 at University of British Columbia — Invited by Dr. Isabel Machado
PEACJUST IVM3: Pass the Mic – Conversations on Justice
“The Future is Disabled” — 19 November 2024 at McMaster University — Invited by Dr. Alpha Abebe
CMST 4M03: Communication, Culture and Technology
“Sex Online” — 29 October 2024 at McMaster University — Invited by Prof. Alexis-Carlota Cochrane
ENGLISH 792: Life Writing and Health in the 21st Century
“Zine Workshop” — 11 October 2024 at McMaster University — Invited by Dr. Sarah Brophy
GSWS 388-4: Queer Relations
“Asian North American Asexualities” — 18 September 2024 at Simon Fraser University — Invited by Dr. Nadine Attewell
INSPIRE 3II3 C03: Anti-Carceral Imaginings
“Care Work and Abolition” — 14 May 2024 at McMaster University — Invited by Prof. Maddie Brockbank
ENGLISH 3NH3: Narratives of Health
“Care Praxis” — 7 March 2024 at McMaster University — Invited by Dr. Sarah Brophy
ENGLISH 562: Studies in Asexualities
“Asian Asexualities” — 6 March 2024 at Boston University — Invited by Dr. Ianna Hawkins Owen
What Students Say
“Theresa is a wonderful teacher – her care and effort is evident. She is passionate, articulate, engaging and creates a fun classroom space.”
“She is easily the best instructor I’ve had at my time at McMaster. She creates a very welcoming learning environment, despite the heavy content of the course. She is the first instructor I’ve had that has made me feel confident in my writing and gives clear feedback.”
“I absolutely loved this course. Lectures were engaging and interesting, complex topics were broken down in ways that made them easy to understand, and it’s clear that the teaching team is very passionate and knowledgeable in all aspects of this course.”
“[She is] one of the best and kindest professors I’ve ever had.”
“The learning environment fostered in this class is one of the best I have experienced in my undergrad. I feel like I have learned so much valuable material in this course that I will carry with me for a long time. I can’t say enough positive things about this class […] and the professor!”
Pedagogy Research
“I propose technologies of learning together as demonstrative of many relational pedagogies that centre shared mobilizations of knowledge in specificity and in broader mentorship. In emphasizing learning together foremost, our research practices shift to engaging relationally wherein the fostering of community-oriented connections informs the methodologies and methods of our independent and collective DH research.” (Read more)
THERESA N. KENNEY 