Michigan State University is fortunate to have passionate educators who are committed to enhancing the experience of their students and who help to provide the best education possible.

The Graduate School is featuring some of these educators – graduate and postdoc educators – every month to share their unique stories and perspectives on what it means to be a dedicated educator, how they’ve overcome educational challenges, and the ways they have grown through their experiences.

For September 2025, we are featuring Danielle Cadet, a doctoral student in Human Development and Family Studies. In her writeup, Danielle shares three guiding principles for university teaching.

What does it mean to be an educator at a university?  

Teaching in a university demands problem-solving unique from other teaching contexts. The university environment presents distinct challenges related to academic rigor, student autonomy, and professional development that differ significantly from K-12 or corporate training settings. University students navigate multiple transitions simultaneously: intellectual growth, identity formation, and preparation for professional life. This complexity requires educators to be adaptive problem solvers, creating learning environments that accommodate diverse learning styles while maintaining high academic standards.

Meanwhile, students have to balance independence, curiosity, and responsibility. They have four years to make the “right” decisions to set themselves up for the rest of their lives. Also, students are often balancing academic pursuits with career advancement and, in many cases, family responsibilities. They are making decisions about specialization, research focus, and professional networks that will shape their career trajectories. I come to this work empathetic to these experiences as a current student who survived a rocky path to my Ph.D. program. I find purpose and joy in responding to the student I was by being the educator I am.

bell hooks’ conceptualization of teaching as a performative act best describes my call to education. For hooks, teaching is not a static delivery of information but a dynamic, embodied practice. In her seminal work Teaching to Transgress (1994), hooks explains: "Teaching is a performative act. And it is that aspect of our work that offers the space for change, invention, spontaneous shifts, that can serve as a catalyst drawing out the unique ele­ments in each classroom" (p. 11). Putting these words into practice, I hold three guiding principles for university teaching.

First, I expect university teaching to embrace small, inventive changes rather than complete overhauls. As hooks suggests, even subtle adjustments can transform the classroom experience. This reminder helps me keep my calm when I am confronted with the limitations out of my control common in college settings, such as room assignments and standardized assessments.

Second, I expect the process of change to unfold organically over time, allowing both educators and students to adapt and grow together through the teaching and learning journey. I used to feel frustrated by slow implementation and delayed outcomes; now, I appreciate the time I am afforded to investigate and develop ideas in the meantime.

Third, I expect educators (including myself) to practice self-compassion during difficult moments, recognizing that teaching involves vulnerability, and that “setbacks” are natural parts of the creative educational process, especially in a setting where student interests and intentions vary. Embracing hooks' vision of teaching as a dynamic, creative act allows me to confidently approach the ever-evolving higher education landscape, from the shifting currents of educational policy to the evolving ecosystem of student needs.

Being a university educator places me in a continuous cycle of learning, implementing, and refining pedagogical techniques. Luckily, teaching at universities places me within a community of peers and other resources that support its educators through the uncertainty of adopting new teaching practices. I have had the honor of participating in a teaching fellowship (Future Academic Scholars in Teaching), GREAT-sponsored workshops, and department-level events that alleviate how overwhelming this process can be. Together, we can challenge ourselves as educators to help students work past the noise to develop their curiosity for knowledge.

What challenges you have experienced and how have you grown from these? 

One of my primary challenges has been balancing idealism with pragmatism when collaborating with professors. I often envision transformative teaching methods, but implementing these ideas within existing institutional constraints requires flexibility and patience. Time limitations present a constant hurdle on both my own time constraints and those of faculty with whom I work. Therefore, I have had to recognize how unrealistic and frustrating my methods were when I pushed an inappropriate pace or intensity. I have learned to adjust my expectations and create more manageable implementation timelines that respect faculty workloads and institutional realities.

This shift has helped me become more effective at facilitating sustainable change and has taught me to prioritize and focus on achievable improvements. Through being intentional in partnerships, I have learned to recognize the good faith efforts of professors who juggle numerous responsibilities beyond teaching and research. This understanding fosters empathy and improves my approach to collaboration. Most importantly, I've developed the skill of distilling complex pedagogical concepts into accessible language and realistic action plans, making innovative teaching practices more approachable for busy faculty members.

What value do you see in Teaching Professional Development?  

Teaching professional development has helped me stay current with educational innovations and research-based practices that directly benefit my students. For instance, my participation in the FAST Fellowship allowed me to conduct research on improving classroom experiences, the results of which I shared at three conferences this summer. These professional development opportunities, also supported by MSU, enabled me to engage with emerging educational approaches and materials.

Through education seminars and workshops, I exchanged valuable ideas with professors in my discipline, bringing back insights that directly enhanced my collaboration with MSU educators. For example, I presented at the Society for Research on Child Development's Biannual Meeting. My workshop provided practical strategies for educators to foster more nuanced discussions about development in their classrooms while acknowledging diverse lived experiences. I also received invaluable feedback which I then applied to the webinar session I led during this year’s NGTAI.

Additionally, teaching professional development served as an entry point into education research. Through my participation in teaching programs, I've identified named learning challenges and explored approaches to address them. This dual focus of improving both my teaching practice and contributing to pedagogical knowledge in my field creates a rewarding cycle of growth that benefits both me and my students.

I have also found that improving my teaching skills directly transferred to my abilities as a researcher and scholar. Teaching reinforces my subject knowledge and enhances my self-learning capabilities. When I prepare to teach concepts to others, I reveal gaps in my own understanding and push to fill them. I also am able to use classroom strategies for independent or small group development.

What is one piece of advice you would give other graduate educators? 

Step away from the lecture slide deck. While PowerPoint and other slide presentations have their place, they often create a passive learning environment where students disengage. Instead, create more interactive learning experiences where students actively participate in knowledge construction. This doesn't mean abandoning visual aids entirely but rather using them strategically to supplement your teaching rather than as the primary vehicle for content delivery. Students will appreciate the variety, and you will likely find yourself more energized as you teach.

I have found simple and quick alternatives to lecture slides that keep my students and I alert. Writing as I speak has been particularly effective at encouraging note-taking and following along with the developing concepts. Polling tools like Kahoot transform review sessions into friendly competitions. Class debates, especially simple formats like "four corners" where students physically move to different areas of the room based on their stance, disrupts the monotony of sitting silently in place.

What do you enjoy in your free time?

In my free time, I enjoy doing a range of hobbies and crafts. I have a cart of supplies that I go to whenever I am in the mood to work with my hands. I also enjoy cycling and watching reality competition shows.

What non-academic book are you currently reading/ or is a favorite?

I am currently getting back into non-academic reading, so I have been picking up short, casual books. Right now, I am reading “The Man to Send Rain Clouds: Contemporary Stories by Native Indians” by Kenneth Rosen.