OVERALL PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH:

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My teaching method is very much a co-intentional and student-centered approach, firmly rooted in the attention to detail of technique and truthful storytelling, the practice of mindfulness, the cultivating of safe space, and the unlocking of the power in the singularity of your voice, presence, and identity.  

I personally believe that as an educator, it is most important to learn the individualized mode of expression/functional navigation for each and every one of my students. And to use that as a tool to foster a deeper, more sustained, and connected understanding of the lessons for them. This includes fostering dialogue and engaging through critical/creative thought that meets them where they are, understanding the specifics of where, how, and why they store tension, speaking truth to underlying notions of power (as art is inherently political), and keeping the space of learning safe and positive, while still pushing them to the boundaries of their potential and holding them accountable when the work is not to that standard.

It is very important for me as an educator to never teach in a generalized way. Too often, spaces of learning in Western culture fall into the trap of the cookie-cutter approach. Using harmful Eurocentric notions rooted in assimilationism to produce a certain kind of student as if they are products on a factory line, rather than living, constantly growing, and infinitely singular human beings. Every student requires individualized soil for their artistic growth, and my ensuing approach is tailored accordingly. 

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-Zudi