I still remember the sense of fulfillment that came over me when I taught a class for the first time. I was part of the Master of Science in Business Administration program and offered to teach courses (pro-bono) in my university. In that moment, I found my purpose, and I had no doubt that my future would always involve teaching. I realized that I could offer my students more than knowledge. I felt I could make a difference in their lives and become a tool to support them in their personal growth.

​

Four-Pillar Teaching Philosophy

​

Imparting Knowledge. My teaching philosophy focuses on four primary goals. The first goal is to impart knowledge in a dynamic learning environment, where students from different races and cultures can feel safe. I encourage students’ motivation and engagement to facilitate their learning process, making the experience more enjoyable. With the intent to make classes more interesting and engaging, I try as much as possible to adopt a student-centered approach, where, rather than merely lecturing, I use a variety of teaching methods chosen according to the content and context of the class. These methods, which range from interactive lectures to group projects and student presentations, are intended to maintain students' interest and attention while catering to different learning styles. I promote an environment where my students can feel a sense of belonging and safety. I see each student as an individual and the group as unique and multi-diverse, and I help each one find their best selves. My classes are a safe environment, free of judgment, where students can express their opinions and have discussions with kindness and respect to their cultural differences and backgrounds. This diversity enriches the learning process.

 

Developing Critical Thinking Skills. My second goal is to assist students in developing the ability to think critically and creatively about the ideas discussed in class. I aim to challenge them to apply those newly acquired skills to problems and situations that go beyond the scope of the course. I am a believer that people with the ability to constantly learn, develop, and apply new skills are more resilient and will be able to adjust to a required scenario. With that in mind, my outcomes for students are for them to learn frameworks and develop abilities that will make them experts in the process of analyzing, formulating, and creating strategies for their clients/companies. For example, using marketing cases and problem-solving team exercises, they can experience how to develop well-honed skills and processes to address a variety of problems in a wide range of industries. I find that students better understand marketing concepts when they are able to apply the learned concepts in real situations. I often bring examples from my industry experience and from a variety of business settings that can relate to the concept that is being taught.

​

Mentoring Future Business Leaders. My third goal is to mentor students to lead successful professional lives and become the next generation of thriving business leaders. I take a very active and engaged approach to teaching outside of the classroom. I am always available to meet with my students to discuss their work, to help them practice their presentations, or simply to discuss their personal interests and ambitions. I am always happy when a student or former-student stops by my office to share some new accomplishment, or even to ask for my opinion or advice about something personal. As an educator, I see my work as transcending the role of helping students improve their understanding of class materials, or the quality of the work they turn in. I aim to help them build their self-confidence and work ethic, so that they may become more comfortable and eager in the pursuit of their academic and professional goals.

​

Supporting Physical and Mental Well-being. My fourth goal is to support student’s physical and mental well- being. It is very common to see students struggling to balance their study, work, and personal life, all while neglecting to search for help. Thus, I have worked on developing the ability to observe students, making myself available to listen and suggesting ways that they can get help. As a mindfulness facilitator, I have and continue to develop and conduct mindfulness programs (pro-bono) to help students and my community. As an example, I have long offered meditation sessions for graduate students across all colleges at FIU (face-to-face and online).

​

Regarding discipline, although I am an advocate for making classes as pleasant and fun as possible, a certain level of rigor must be adopted if the professor is to ensure the quality of the course. Therefore, it is essential that the course follows an organized structure to provide a competent delivery of its content and to ensure a high level of student performance. It is the professor's responsibility to set an example with respect to factors such as punctuality, class preparation, valorization of the materials being studied, etc., so the students may follow. It is also essential to make sure students clearly understand the structure of the course (course agenda, assigned readings, written assignments, tests, etc.) and what is expected of them (meeting deadlines, grading scheme, etc.).

​

Teaching Accomplishments

​

After almost 8 years of teaching experience across two countries, I feel very comfortable teaching courses in Marketing and Management at the undergraduate and graduate levels. I also have experience teaching face-to-face, hybrid, and online classes. My major experience as an instructor was from January 2013 to January 2016 at UNICHRISTUS, Brazil, which I had to leave because I moved to the U.S. During these three years, I taught several classes, from Research Methods to Innovation. My passion for teaching and connecting with my students was always so vivid that in the Fall of 2014, I was invited to be the Research Coordinator for the Management program. I was also invited as an adjunct instructor to teach Principles of Marketing, Research Methods, and Supply Chain Management for graduate courses.

 

I still receive messages from students acknowledging how I made a positive impact in their lives. For example, my students not only won the best paper award at the university's internal conference, but they also published papers in Brazilian journals.

 

At FIU, I had the pleasure of being Dr. Paul Miniard’s teaching assistant in his Consumer Behavior class for three consecutive terms. Afterwards, in Spring 2020, I taught Introduction to Marketing. Also, I was invited to deliver a guest lecture to two MBA classes. Furthermore, I gave mindfulness lectures to graduate students across all colleges and disciplines. Currently, Dr. William Humphrey Jr is training me to teach digital marketing and social media marketing using certifications from top technology companies—such as Google, MediaMath, HubSpot, and Salesforce Trailhead—along with applied skills and assignments.

​

Vision for the Future

​

My teaching experience, combined with my previous industry experience and my mindfulness skills, helps me continuously sustain a healthy and dynamic learning environment. Besides my cultural background and teaching experience in Brazil, I also had the opportunity to teach and to conduct lectures for a highly diverse group of students in the U.S. FIU is well known as a highly diverse university that caters to minorities and first-generation students. Thus, I feel very comfortable teaching students from all cultures, races, and beliefs in a judgement-free environment.

​

I feel confident teaching a variety of courses (such as Marketing Research, Marketing Principles, Consumer Behavior, Global and Cross-Cultural Marketing, Digital Marketing, Brand Management, among others) at undergraduate and graduate levels.

​

I also have begun to design a course on the effects of Mindfulness in Marketing. It starts by covering the historical background of Mindfulness and its applicability to current business paradigms, focusing on Marketing and Consumer Behavior. I would like to offer this course in future. Additionally, I also look forward to the opportunity to teach MBA courses that require real-world learning experiences, such as a partnership with a local company.

 

As a professor, I see myself as a gardener watering and providing good soil to help the seeds (students) grow, and eventually sprout into beautiful flowers with strong roots. Thus, my teaching philosophy involves knowledge, creativity, passion, dedication, joy, and kindness.