Curiosity-led learning
Customized curricula, academic coaching, thoughtful tutoring, and engaging courses that help students think independently, ask better questions, and connect what they learn to the world around them.
Choose one service or combine them. Each offering can be adapted to your needs.
Complete, ready-to-use course packages designed around a subject, age group, and the interests of the student or instructor.
I teach these courses and workshops online. Drawing on more than 20 years of university teaching and social science research, they combine established scholarship, current research, and engaging instruction. Students explore complex subjects through discussion, inquiry, practical activities, and connections to real-world issues.
Course topics and formats can be developed for individual learners or groups.
Grounded in more than 20 years of university teaching and social science research, this support helps college and graduate students develop research projects, work with academic sources and methods, structure arguments, and strengthen academic writing.
Individualized academic support that meets students where they are, builds confidence, and develops strong learning and critical-thinking skills.
Tutoring is tailored to the student's subject, level, and goals.
Whether you're teaching a class, building a learning community, or pursuing your own academic goals, we tailor our support to your needs.
Students aged 15 through young adulthood, including high school and college students; graduate students and PhD candidates.
Customized learning and academic support in the subjects and skills that matter.
Academic Writing · Academic Research
Teaching, research, and curiosity
I am a political scientist (PhD), sociologist, and qualitative researcher with more than 20 years of experience in academic teaching and social science research, with appointments at the University of Texas at Austin, East Texas A&M University, and the University of Konstanz, Germany.
I develop courses for students aged 15 and above, at both high school and college level, adapting the content and academic expectations to students' backgrounds and learning goals. I also develop customized curricula and teaching materials for college instructors, and I offer thesis writing coaching for students and PhD candidates.
I love teaching, and I enjoy making complex topics accessible, encouraging students to think critically, question assumptions, and develop their own informed perspectives. I prefer teaching methods that are communicative, interactive, and, yes, fun!
My background in empirical and qualitative research also shapes the way I approach curriculum development. I am the author of two books, have completed a third book manuscript, and have published more than 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes.
As a native German speaker, I also bring a personal and cultural understanding to teaching German language and culture.
I look forward to meeting you!
For my full CV, click here.
Political science
A structured 15–16 week course package, designed to support independent learning and informed discussion.
Every package is created individually, based on the student's age, interests, and the family's requests. This is one example; other subjects and formats are available.
A closer look at course design
These examples show how students can connect course concepts with real-world issues, collaborative problem-solving, discussion, and creative projects.
Students work in groups to design a fictitious nation that reflects their understanding of major concepts in American government, including constitutional design, political institutions, and civil rights. Each team applies what it has learned to create a balanced and functional system of government. The project culminates in a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation.
Throughout the semester, we identify problems in American government and explore possible solutions. Each student selects and researches a pressing issue in American government that they feel strongly about. They then write a letter to a member of Congress explaining the problem and proposing a solution.
Each week, students post a question about the chapter we are covering. The questions serve as a starting point for class discussions and encourage students to engage critically with the course material.
Students create one PowerPoint slide presenting their most important takeaway from the course. The slides are shared in class during the final week of the semester.
Students create an assignment that furthers their learning and reflects their interests and strengths. Possible formats include a book review, podcast episode, photo essay, video, TikTok, or another creative format of their choice. Students discuss their proposed assignment with the instructor four weeks before the deadline. Final projects are due on the last day of class.
Acknowledgment: The “What’s the Problem?” and “Design Your Own Assignment” concepts were inspired by assignments developed by Shawna Brandle for POL 51-13. View the original assignment overview ↗
College course · Sample syllabus
This college course introduces students to research methods in political science and public administration. Students develop research designs, prepare for and conduct expert interviews, collect and analyze data, and interpret research findings in the context of public policy.
Selected teaching resource
I use this open-access teaching resource to help students explore political economy through everyday objects and practices, connecting familiar experiences to broader questions of global capitalism, economic power, and inequality.
Related textbook: James Brassett, Juanita Elias, Lena Rethel, and Ben Richardson. I-PEEL: The International Political Economy of Everyday Life. Oxford University Press, 2023. Textbook and companion resources ↗
Learning that thinks beyond the box
Tell us what you're hoping to teach, learn, or explore. We'll start with a conversation and build from there.
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