Shannon Christen-Syed

Shannon Christen-Syed (she/her) holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master’s in English from Kent State University. She has experience teaching at both the high school and college levels. Currently, she teaches Africans Studies sections of English courses (College Writing I and II) and mostly online Africana Studies courses including Black Experience I and II, The Legacy of Slavery, The Underground Railroad, and Oral & Written Discourses. Her primary research and specializations include African American literature, history and culture, diversity and social justice education, composition and eLearning pedagogy. 

She also provides a variety of citizenship to Kent State by serving as an academic hearing officer for student cheating/plagiarism cases in the Office of Student Conduct and serving as the faculty advisor for UHURU Magazine, one of Kent State's award-winning student publications that “promotes innovation, creativity and culture through the voice of marginalized students on campus with a history of Pan-African teachings focusing on the plight of all students around the globe.” 

Professor Christen-Syed is very passionate about teaching and learning. Here is her ever-evolving philosophy of education:

1. All students can be literate members of a diverse and inclusive society with the ability to communicate effectively in everyday life.
2. All students can develop the critical thinking, reading, composing, research and multimodal skills necessary to participate successfully in the public sphere as students, workers, citizens and life-long learners.
3. Participation in a learning community fosters social, civic, emotional and intellectual growth.
4. Diverse and inclusive instructional materials, strategies and environments enhance learning.
5. Teaching is an art, as well as a craft, and the teacher-student relationship is at its heart.
6. Kindness offered by honesty challenges continual growth.