University Teaching Initiative Award

Ciera M. Lorio, Ph.D.

• Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders 
• Ph.D. from Florida State University in 2018 

What is the core of your teaching philosophy in one sentence?

Building relationships with my students allows me to support them in obtaining knowledge in a way that works best for them and their learning goals. 

My motivation to become a college professor comes from … 

Two professors that I had during my undergraduate studies. They were the first people to plant the idea of a Ph.D. in my mind. I watched them develop close relationships with students, study topics that were meaningful to our field, and contribute positively to both on- and off-campus communities. Their love of teaching and research made a career in academia seem appealing. 

The three most valuable or important methods/approaches/attitudes/etc. that I bring to my teaching practice are … 

Flexibility, empathy, and accountability 

The resource or person that has been the most important influence in my teaching career is … (and why) 

The literature on caregiver coaching practices. My research focuses on caregiver coaching as a means of supporting caregivers in implementing language interventions with their young children. The coaching literature is grounded in evidence-based practices for adult learning and studying this literature has allowed me to become more of a "coach" than an instructor. This literature taught me the importance of (1) establishing relationships with my students, (2) including multiple opportunities for meaningful student practice with feedback from a trusted instructor, and (3) the use of reflection to establish student independence and maintain continued growth. 

Best compliment I’ve received from a student was … 

"I still use the materials from your class on a daily basis." A past student emailed me about a year after she graduated from our speech-language pathology program. She wanted to tell me she how grateful she was for the resources I shared in my language/literacy course; she now uses these resources regularly as a school-based speech-language pathologist. 

The one teaching technique or strategy that I would recommend to my colleagues to enhance student learning the most is … 

Build relationships with your students. Most students want to get to know you, and learning more about their thoughts, values, and goals helps you better align your teaching practices with their learning needs. 

“Most students want to get to know you, and learning more about their thoughts, values, and goals helps you better align your teaching practices with their learning needs.”