I'm an artist who writes. I play with words as art and art as language.
I am a first-generation doctoral candidate and recovering academic on hiatus, slowing down to focus on personal and exploratory critical reading, writing, and thinking as an important part of the teaching, learning, and research process. My interests include arts-based pedagogies, arts-based curriculum, translation in/as arts-based communication, multimodality in education, and rhetoric and critical literacy for building understanding, finding common ground, and making more informed choices about what we feel, think, and do in our daily lives.
I believe in the power of intellectual humility and am comfortable saying "I don't know." Curiosity is my superpower. As an advocate for critical thinking through arts-based teaching and learning, I am committed to championing public education in Iowa. I was born and raised in Cedar Falls and returned to Iowa in 2020. My ancestors emigrated from Northern Europe and I am a fifth-generation Iowan whose great-grandfather, Charles Burton Santee, and great uncle, Leslie Carlton Santee, both served as State Representatives in the Iowa Legislature. Also known as C.B. Santee, my great-grandfather served as a Representative on many committees, including the House Normal Schools committee of the 37th General Assembly.
The purpose of this online space is fostering critical thinking for all.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where are you from? My mother's uterus.
Education? The best education is life. I'm currently a doctoral candidate in Teaching and Learning at the University of Iowa. I have an MA in English-Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a BA in Art-Teaching with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Northern Iowa.
What classes do you teach? I have an interdisciplinary background. These are some classes I've taught across multiple disciplines:
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Seminar in Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking
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Exploratory theme: The Mysterious World of Street Art
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Exploring Visual Arts: Production and Critique
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The Sketchbook: Exploring the Creative Process
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Educational Psychology
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Teacher as Change Agent
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Creativity, Imagination, Play, and Human Development through the Arts
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Introduction and Practicum: Secondary English
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Continuing Education classes and community workshops
What advice do you have for young people online? Remember they are called influencers for a reason. Critical thinking takes time. Critical thinking is empowering. You are already good enough.
What are your favorite books? All of them. That's an example of hyperbolic language. I've read so many books that I don't remember them all. Maybe someday I'll throw some into a blog post. Such a careless and hasty metaphor. At some point, I will create a list and publish them collectively in an intentionally curated and composed blog post. Here are a few critical thinking resources.