teaching
I am honored and humbled by the opportunities to teach. I have taught at the University of Pittsburgh as a graduate student, as well as a freelance marketing educator. My teaching values are: 1) respect and appreciation for others’ voices, experiences, and interests; 2) openness to change, honesty about what really matters (and what doesn’t), and clarity in assignments and presentations, 3) a good sense of humor, 4) prioritizing empathy by understanding students’ life outside of the course and being flexible; and 5) empowering the student through freedom in major assignments so they achieve their personal goals for the course.
COURSES
Seminar in Composition - at the University of Pittsburgh, Fall 2021. Began from a base staff syllabus and evolved it to serve the learning goals of my course. Added readings by women of color including a selection from Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals by Saidiya Hartman, “38” by Layli Long Soldier (an essay poem about the largest ‘legal’ mass execution in U.S. history under orders by President Lincoln), and “Hunting Season” by Scaachi Koul about sexual assault. Supported art of editing through unlimited revisions, 1:1 editorial meetings with students, and detailed feedback letters. Emphasized student choice through flexibility in essay subjects and a choice of 5 Final Projects with students driving their topics.
Pictured: some of my Rate my Professor reviews over the years
Introduction to Fiction - at the University of Pittsburgh, Fall 2022. Course description: How does fiction on a page become something else, something more, something that takes shape in our mind, rivets our heart, and sticks with our bodies for years to come? In this Intro to Fiction course, we will attempt to answer that guiding question. We will explore storytelling through classic and contemporary writers,* from a variety of different backgrounds and genres (near and far), and analyze their methodologies and styles. Students will have a choice of their final project for this class: a short story (new or revised) that can be submitted for publication in journals, or an analytical essay on a novel, genre, or short story.
*Authors on syllabus: Agatha Christie, Anton Chekhov, Danielle Evans, Dorothy Allison, Gabriel García Márquez, George Saunders, Haruki Murakami, Ha Jin, Jane Austen, James Baldwin, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, Ted Chiang, Tobias Wolff, Viet Thanh Nguyen
Pictured: some of my slides from my Intro to Fiction course
“I appreciated your candor and full transparency regarding the reality and pitfalls of branding. Itt was both funny and insightful. I feel more confident going forward in creating a brand for myself but also not to be afraid to reach out for help if I don’t understand or I am not capable of completing all the tasks or processes to maintain it. Appreciate the expertise and presentation beyond words. Thank you!”
Marketing 101 - workshop for hire, have taught a version virtually and in-person since 2018. A course I designed to social impact entrepreneurs to empower them to work smarter not harder on design, social media marketing, and communications. I have taught this class for several years for fellows at Moonshot edVentures and Camelback Ventures
REVIEWS FROM STUDENTS
“Professor Tien is by far the best professor I have had so far. She is so understanding of anything going on in your life, and will easily grant an extension, if need. She genuinely cares about her students and I am very grateful that I had her this semester. She also is very encouraging and gives amazing feedback on all work.”
“Overall, I loved the freedom that was given in this class. Rather than writing three essays on an enforced topic, the world was ours. We could explore and find a topic we are truly passionate about. I personally chose a topic outside of my comfort zone and through the assignments and essays I found a new love for this topic. While writing and exploring a field site, analyzing a picture, and using my voice to write vulnerably, I also found a new love and passion for writing. A second thing that I liked best about this course was the free writing. I never had a true appreciation for writing until this semester. I never knew how well it opens up your brain and gets it turning. This was not only beneficial for our English class but for the rest of my day if classes.”
“This was a great overview of what we need to know for marketing and communications. I left with some wonderful resources!”
“I would definitely recommend Professor Tien as a future teacher. As a freshman, the transition into college has been difficult, but having Professor Tien as one of my professors had made it so much easier. She is so understanding of everything and just wants the best for students. You can also tell how passionate she is about her craft. This is the first class I have every taken where I receive actual feedback on my essays instead of my teachers just making little notes correcting grammar or things like that. I feel that by having her as a professor, my writing has genuinely improved. She makes her classroom a very welcoming environment and I have always felt a sense of safeness and relief when I walk in. Overall, she is an amazing professor who cares deeply for her students and also her work.”