Teaching

"The first strength would be the interactiveness with the course syllabus. Professor Kwok gave us the choice to pick a piece of media that we would want to explore in class, and she took the time to pair our choices with a supplementary work within the same topic. I have been able to learn about authors I have never had prior exposure to, and I am able to read different perspectives of the same issue with her guidance. The second strength of this course is in the way Professor Kwok structures class. She does not waste our time as long as we do not waste hers. In that sense, I feel a mutual respect that I do not feel from many other professors. For example, once she allows all groups to speak, she does not make us sit with idle repetition about an aspect of the work or make it seem like she is just trying to make more material until the end of class comes. She also does not make us do busy work. We are simply expected to have read the material and come into class with our thoughts on paper. She is always giving us something new to think about, which honestly is rare for engagement courses in my experience. The third strength comes from the passion Professor Kwok teaches with. Because of her passion, I notice that the students are more inclined to participate and explore the topics with her. Even though the subject of native land and colonization can be difficult for some to articulate, this is the most participation I have seen in my engagements thus far."

"I loved this class and I didn't really expect that going in. I came in pretty closed minded to beliefs that weren't my own, but this class challenged me in an incredible way and I am better for it."

"At first, I was scared of the course, but I'm glad I experienced it. I feel like I've broadened my horizons the most through this engagement and that the concepts learned here are actually important."

"I really enjoyed this class. Professor Kwok is clearly a very dedicated teacher and that lent itself to a strong learning experience. I loved how we covered an array of topics and cultures and discussed both sides of given discourses; I was exposed to many points of view that I never knew existed. I live in Charlottesville, so I already knew that the Monacan people originated from this area, but there was so much that I did not know and I got to learn over the course of this quarter. My only note would be the initial amount of work we were given for the course felt a bit excessive – there was a lot being thrown at us in the first few weeks that sometimes rivaled my actual courses. However, we discussed it as a class with Professor Kwok early on and the workload became much more manageable. I think going into the next quarter with that level of work would benefit future students as they can focus on the content itself and not completion grades."

"This was my first engagement course at UVA, and Professor Kwok made it a great experience. The class was definitely reading heavy, but it was clear that the readings she selected were very intentional and specific. I also liked how the readings connected to one another in class, specifically when various groups of students read different pieces and connected them to each other during an in–class discussion. The manifesto project was also interesting, unlike anything I have done in both high school and college. During this project, we were instructed to create a physical manifesto under the categories "values", "history of land" "knowledge", and "community" to showcase our values as UVA students. I appreciated how Professor Kwok encouraged us to bring friends to the event where we presented the manifesto, because it spurred intellectual discussion that we wouldn't have had otherwise."

"Ms. Kwok is very respectful and caring. I don't think there was a moment during this course time that would display otherwise. I noticed she tries to talk to everyone before, during, and after class even if it's just a simple "hello". She has probably been one of the most consistent professors I've had with that motto. During discussions, she lets everyone share their opinion and won't overstep when someone is speaking. Overall, I believe she fostered a exceptionally good and diverse environment because of these reasons."

"I feel like my experience in this course was positive. I was very engaged and interested in this topic, as there was not many opportunities to take a course with this content. I was also interested because I got to learn more about myself and a Native-American tribe my family belongs to."

"Real time whole class discussion and real time small group discussion both created an impactful learning environment. I felt little to no anxiety by how professor Kwok teaches class so I could actually focus on said class and was able to learn valuable information. I also loved the end of year project about Pocahontas."

"I thought the course was on a very important topic, and I felt it was handled very appropriately and with care. Everyone in the class was respectful and open minded, and the instructor was very good at facilitating conversation. I think the course did not shy away from criticizing the past actions or history of the university, which I appreciated."

"I enjoyed my time in this course, and I really liked the ways in which we approached learning about the peoples who were on this land before us in ways that I had not thought of before, such as our final project of rewriting two scenes from the Disney movie Pocahontas."

"Although I have no idea how to extend this class without losing some of the aspects that made it great (the personalized syllabus and final project), this feels like it should be a class that more people should take, either as a full semester class or something that counts for a requirement. I feel it's really important for all UVA students to learn this genre of information before proceeding with their degree at UVA."

"This course is absolutely amazing, and I learned a lot about history – UVA history, US history, world history – that I had previously known nothing about. The course is also very helpful in terms of keeping up with current events –– Professor Kwok often weaves in today's events to help contextualize the complex themes of settler colonialism and how it still affects us today. I honestly think everyone should take it!"

"Professor Kwok make the focus of the course on hand–on activities and group discussion than the traditional lectures, which is a great thing in my opinion. For example, she designed a whiteboard mind–map activities that let us have the opportunity to compare and contrast the educations different groups of the people received throughout the world. Also, she often let us discuss various reading we done for homework in the class, – NYT podcast related to student protests, reading about the flaws of Eurocentric perspective, and an article about the origin of the grading system– rather than a reading quiz. These discussion is a lot more beneficial than the reading quiz, as I can learn more about other's perspective on the article while contribute my own opinions. Especially the Manifesto Project, a project that each small group write their own manifesto related to indigenous population and values they expected for an ideal UVA community, raised the course to a new level. Students present these project by the end of the course at a exhibition and sharing each other's manifesto while having ample amount of food and drink is a perfect end to the class."

"I felt that this course was very discussion–based, which I enjoyed. We would do our readings before class, and sometimes there would be an assignment attached to further our understanding, such as a response paragraph. In class, we would then utilize an activity, or the professor would give us prompts, in order to facilitate class–wide discussion. This allowed me to hear all of my classmates perspectives on the topics and readings that I found interesting, but also those that maybe I did not. I was able to learn more from these activities. One example of this was after each group read a piece on education and colonialism in different contexts, written from different perspectives. We then came to class and split up to design a mind map where we connected all of the sources together. I found this to be a really interesting way to learn new information and connect concepts together. Therefore, both whole class discussion and small group discussions were a very significant part of my learning process in this class."

"I felt that my voice was heard in the classroom and that Professor Kwok made time to have students voice their opinions. Additionally, Professor Kwok addressed difficult topics with a head–on approach that didn't shy away from harsh realities. The class had the amazing opportunity to meet Kody Grant, UVA Tribal Liaison, to discuss current practices of the Cherokee nation. Overall, I learned a lot throughout this course."

"This was the first class I have taken in all of my schooling that truly made me comfortable engaging in discussions about topics that notoriously cause divide. Professor Kwok did a great job of facilitating respectful discussions based on information from readings that were centered around true anecdotes, philosophical inquiry, and policy."

"Professor Kwok does a stellar job teaching this engagement course. In my mind, it is a transition class from high school to college, that is supposed to expose students to several different areas, but also to help them get adjusted. Simple things such as allowing assignment regrades after giving feedback, and learning students names makes a big difference in the class. I enjoy attending class, because each time I leave with something to think about. Professor Kwok truly has our best interest at heart, and wants each of her students to succeed."

"Professor Kwok created an environment that respected difference by always saying "nothing is ever neutral". She encouraged students to do the research and decide for themselves their personal feelings about a topics/reading. Additionally, Professor Kwok allowed a student to present to the class about his heritage and how current events related to the course material. The student made sure to tell students to formulate their own opinions about the situation, mirroring Professor Kwok's sentiments."

"Professor Kwok allowed us to speak freely during class discussions and share our points of view on any given topic. She often sat back during discussions and allowed us to reach conclusions on our own or have healthy discourse with one another that I think made the environment one where I felt comfortable sharing my opinion even if it was not shared by others. For example, when we discussed our relationship with UVA, there were differing opinions on what could be done to help minorities have better access to the institution moving forward. During that conversation, Professor Kwok did not cut in or share her own opinions; rather, we were able to discuss our respective takes and compare them without pause. I would note that our class largely agreed on most of the discussions, so my experience only comes from the few times there were minute disagreements. However, I feel that if there had been greater discourse, Professor Kwok would have continued to allow us to work it out amongst one another while also facilitating a productive conversation. "

"Professor Kwok was accepting of and encouraged differing perspectives on course materials by allowing space for varied understandings of readings during class discussions, taking care to allow students to elaborate on how they arrived at takeaways from readings. Additionally, many discussions began in smaller table groups, allowing all students to have their voice heard at some point during class given it was not always feasible that every student could participate in class–wide discussion during every meeting. Overall, the collaborative structure of the class and diverse discussion questions I found allowed for students of varying perspectives to discuss these perspectives freely."

"Due to the fact that our class could easily lead into some controversial topics, I thought the way Professor Kwok cultivated the discussions allowed for all voices to be heard. And when the controversial topics or opinions did arise she was quick to hear many peoples opinions and reasoning, often having them explain their background so we could see where they were coming from."

"Cherrie made sure to ask everyone for their opinions, always took emails, questions and complaints seriously, and was eager to allow students to challenge her questions and the thinking of others. The guided, yet open structure of her discussion was conducive to support students' opinions, even those outside of the norm or those which contradicted her own. However, she always made very important consideration for power dynamics within the course materials, which I really appreciated."

"Cherrie is the best TA I have ever had. I was lucky enough to have her for both of my ENWR courses, and she is always so welcoming, so learned, and so helpful. She did a wonderful job of further discussing all of the diverse perspectives brought up in lecture, and went as far as to bring in more unique subject matter for us all to see."

"Loved it! My TA (Cherrie) was arguably the best TA I've had at my time at UVA so far. She was smart, hard–working, and friendly beyond expectations."

"I enjoyed this course very much. My instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and greatly helped me flesh out my ideas in my writing and turn them into clear and concise pieces of work. She gave me useful feedback that helped strengthen my writing and gave me a better understanding of the course and its requirements. She also made me feel welcomed and valued in our course and let me know that she acknowledged and appreciated my ideas."

"We had multiple class discussions over topics such as the recent riots at the Capitol where not everyone in the class held exactly the same views. Throughout these discussions Cherrie Kwok was able to maintain a very civil discourse of ideas."

"Because such a large portion of this class was discussion, she always welcomed all students to speak and was very good at facilitating the discussion in a way in which every student could be heard. She also never pushed us to talk if we didn't want to (whether because it was an uncomfortable or personal subject), and was always open to having every idea shared. She fostered a safe and welcoming environment for instruction and class dialogue in this course. She was always receptive to everyone's ideas and showed just how much she strived to fully understand and help us work through our thoughts and opinions."

"Cherrie never allowed her own opinions to overshadow those of her students, but rather, expanded off of what students had to say. This created a very welcoming environment where I believe each student felt valued and as though what they had to say really contributed to the class discussion"

"I would say the three biggest strengths were the in class discussions, the fluidity and range accessibility of the papers, and the overall inclusiveness of the class. As you stepped into class, you knew that your opinions would be heard and valued. But it wasn’t just enough to state a claim, we always had to dig deeper and that was particularly enriching for me. I was constantly positioned into having to think profoundly about my own beliefs and back them up with evidence and this process was never applied in a pressuring way. It never felt like without having the right words at the time made my claims any less important or unverifiable, it just always seemed like Cherrie wanted to evolve us in a way and introduce us to a new technique of thought and analysis which was wonderful to experience."

"Cherrie, obviously, was the most important resource to the class. She provided very detailed, constructive, valuable feedback on my assignments. I cannot emphasize that enough. I thought my AP Lit teacher was detailed, but Cherrie blew her out of the water. Second, she handled the transition to online classes like a pro-- her response was very fast, and detailed of course, and she ended up completely reorganizing the remainder of the semester to accommodate online learning. She also changed her grading scale and due dates, generously, to reduce stress and uncertainty among her students. Her class discussions were engaging. She was an excellent instructor!"

"Feedback and meetings with Cherrie were phenomenal, she had a way with words that was clear and concise, whilst also providing genuine well thought-out feedback that was presented in a way that was non-threatening and encouraged improvement. She has always been personal and caring as well, checking in on well-being and making sure we understand the content. The way she teaches is extremely effective as it's a perfect loop: we introduce ideas/end goal project, have readings that make up small parts of these ideas, discuss these readings and said-ideas, and then at the end come together to create an end product from things that we've learned without scrambling or panic, since the structure of the class allowed for digestible and effective bite sized learning that resonates with students. The ideas and content base are modern and applicable, and as a STEM major this has ironically been my favorite class at UVA so far."

"This class had meaningful lectures that meshed well with the assignments/papers that we were set to do. I feel like the in class material prepared me for what the Instructor was looking for. If there was any uncertainty in what the assignments entailed, we (the class) would ask questions and quickly receive feedback. I feel like the class was designed for open minded discussion and I felt comfortable/able to speak. As for the paper feedback, I enjoyed how the instructor highlighted the good in our paper and the wrong. Whatever mistake that was made on the paper had detailed explanations and helped me avoid the said mistake. Overall, I felt like this course made me a better writer; it enabled me to write in styles I have never heard of."

"1. The discussion aspect of this class was the number one thing that allowed me to engage with the course material and further my understanding of the content in order to better myself as a writer and a student. 2. The ability to revise my work (before the whole grading system switched over because of the pandemic) was such a wonderful opportunity that I had never been given by previous teachers. It allowed me to become aware of my weaknesses and learn how to correct them to make my paper stronger. 3. The three distinct units really helped me to understand the organizational structure of the course and held my interest, rather than focusing on the same exact subject for the entire semester. Exploring different digital forms and the way in which we interact with them allowed me to relate it back to my own personal use with these digital forms. Although the topic of this course hardly relates to my career interests, I was still able to find relevancy in the course content."

"I think one of the best parts of this class was the concept of the online Writing Journal. The immediate feedback that was given on which sentence was best and which sentence was not so great really helped me to understand where I needed to improve on a more detailed level. I also particularly like the way the class discussion days were mixed with activity days and guest lecture days so it didn't feel like too much of the same thing was happening at once. The last thing I really enjoyed was the way each Black Mirror episode were set up with an article which complemented its meaning making analysis more meaningful and pointed."

"This instructor was very intuitive and demonstrated a clear desire to teach this course. She not only introduced interesting and relevant topics of discussion but also allowed for revision and improvement in each assignment which is a very, very helpful option that not a lot of teachers offer that is DEEPLY appreciated. I could always tell a great deal of thought was put into what topics the class was going to discuss. I also appreciated how she actually took student feedback into account and changed the course accordingly. The only constructive suggestion I would give is to be aware of the student's schedules (meaning times of other classes) as the class often ran past time, and several students had to leave before the discussion was finished."