Deborah Schooler
Teaching Statement
My training as a developmental psychologist has strongly influenced my teaching philosophy. I believe that people possess a strong desire to explore and understand their world, and this desire motivates learning and growth. Based on this philosophy of learning, the role of the teacher is to create a safe environment in which to explore, provide tools to aid in that exploration, and stimulate enough cognitive discomfort to motivate the journey. Accordingly, I aim to foster interest and then scaffold students as they search for answers. I expect students to relate the material covered in my classes to their own lives and to real world issues around them. Students in my class reflect on their own childhood and think about how they might interact with children in the future as a parent, teacher, or practitioner. They evaluate the state of their own identities and debate whether they are adolescents, adults, or something in between. By the end of the term, students in my class have learned about the impact of stress, nutrition, alcohol, or sleep on their daily lives and future development.
Courses
Developmental Psychology (PSYC 129)
Experimental Psychology (PSYC 105)
Child Development (PSYC 29)
Research Statement
Development takes place in contexts- in cultures, in families, in relationships. I study adolescent development in social and cultural contexts, focusing specifically on health behaviors related to body image and sexual health. I am especially interested in the intersection of gender and culture, and how adolescents learn about health from their families, their friends, and the mass media. Current projects examine:
- Links between body image and sexual health among adolescents and young adults.
- Children and adolescents’ media use and how media use contributes to body image and obesity.
- Ethnic identity and acculturation and how adolescents’ define themselves in relation to peers, media, family, and culture.