Teaching
Education as the practice of freedom denies that man is abstract, isolated, independent and unattached to the world; it also denies that the world exists as a reality apart from people. ~Paolo Freire
Teaching Philosophy
As an instructor, I approach my role as a form of world-making: I believe my role is to inspire critical thinking and learning that stretches beyond the classroom by cultivating curiosity, collaboration, and passion for sociological and criminological topics.
I aim to inspire students to become lifelong learners that can critically consider, discuss, and write about real-world situations and events. I do so by setting high expectations, challenging students, and promoting significant learning by creating an inclusive environment and incorporating engaged, active, and team-based educational practices.
Colleges and Universities Taught At
Faculty Spotlight
Faculty Spotlight highlighting Dr. Val Jenness and Jordan Grasso’s online course design collaboration
Sample Syllabi
Selected Student Projects
Selected Student Feedback
“I have always disliked speaking in public, but the way professor Grasso has the class engage as a whole has definitely helped me retain more and understand the material clearly.”
“The instructors teaching strengths are being able to clearly and concisely teach the most important or impactful parts of the course and being able to stimulate conversation with an open mind. Additionally, Prof. Grasso is extremely good at communicating and getting back to their students with any questions they may have. They are extremely organized and structured their class in a way that is easy to follow.”
“I didn’t just learn textbook definitions, but learned how to apply the theories and concepts to my own life which helped me learn and do better in the class.”
“The strength of the course [was] the communication between the professor and the students. Also Professor Grasso was very knowledgeable yet still open to all opinions.”
“I think the most helpful thing in this course was the professor’s lectures. Jordan explained everything so well during their lectures, and also took the time to clarify anything that we may have had questions about. I also really liked how Jordan really encouraged us to participate in class discussions and voice our opinions. I think that helped me learn more and motivated me to stay focused.”
“I believe the strength of this course was how passionate Professor Grasso was with us as students and individuals. They helped use topics that would relate to us and our generation which made it easier to grasp.”
“This is the first class in my upper education where I felt constantly challenged to think deeper about the established system(s) in place, and if I agreed/disagreed with it. Each time I answered a question, another question was presented by the professor I had no current answer because no other educator had ever presented me with such a high level of critical thinking. This professor seriously knows how to teach, and would be an absolute asset to the department. Never did I feel once that I should be complacent (like in my other classes), and that I should always strive to think deeper about the things that mattered in the world.”
“Professor Grasso teaches the class in a way that is not boring, includes various videos and different styles of articles that are interesting and attention grabbing.
“The setting of a safe and enthusiastic environment for the students and professor to engage in an ongoing dialogue the entire semester really helped me to come to a better understanding of the concepts/theories we were learning and how they applied to our lives. It was also very eye opening as we got to experience views from a diverse set of perspectives.”
“I think the strength of this course was the news discussions where we talked about the news and applied our knowledge from class to the topics discussed. It helped me see how I can apply what I know to the world outside the classroom.”
“I found that this course really opened my eyes to many things. And I felt very safe in stating my opinions with others as well as the professor, which is a rarity.”
Jordan Grasso 