Rachel Ameen

Teaching

Teaching Philosophy and Practice

Linocut print of a brook trout

For my teaching, I draw on humor and real-world connections to engage students at multiple levels. I foster lively, rigorous discussion in a classroom environment where students feel safe asking questions and taking risks.

At Syracuse University, I serve as Instructor of Record for GEO 103: Environment and Society and have taught as a TA across the geography curriculum, including GEO 171: Introduction to Human Geography and GEO 155: The Natural Environment. At the University of Washington, I taught ENV 100: Introduction to Environmental Studies. In 2025 I received Syracuse's Outstanding TA Award.

Positionality

I approach my research and teaching as a white, queer, cisgender woman from an upper-middle-class New England family, and I try to hold these aspects of my identity in conscious view rather than a neutral backdrop. My background has afforded me steady access to education, and I this same access shapes how I move through the classroom. My gender and queerness inform my teaching in more textured ways: they have exposed me to the casual sexism and occasional homophobia embedded in academic culture, but they also give me points of connection with students navigating similar terrain. My identity informs my commitment to building a classroom where multiple perspectives and lived experiences are celebrated. I see reflecting on positionality as a practice of transparency, and a practice of ongoing growth.

AI & Pedagogy

I also work on what AI means for pedagogy and the college classroom. I collaborate with faculty to rethink assignments, assessment, and academic integrity in the age of large language models. I have participated in professional development, training programs, and individual consultations on AI-proofing courses. My article on this work, "Teaching with AI, Teaching Against AI," is under review at the Journal of Geography in Higher Education.

Courses Taught

Teaching Portfolio