Philosophy of Teaching

Dr. Balthazar is a life-long learner and has a deep appreciation for effective teaching. As such, her teaching style and techniques continue to expand and evolve as she continues to learn through professional development, peer reviews, and student feedback. Dr. Balthazar’s philosophical approach to education is grounded in the belief that effective teaching is founded on student-centered learning and understanding how people learn.  Dr. Balthazar strives to empower her students by creating a safe and nurturing environment conducive to learning both in the classroom and in the clinical setting.

In healthcare and in life, it is not possible to know everything. Healthcare is dynamic and ever changing. Therefore, beyond memorization of foundational material, Dr. Balthazar focuses a large part of her teaching efforts on encouraging critical thinking and self-directed learning. Nurses need to be aware of knowledge deficits when they exist and be skilled enough to find the information needed to be highly-skilled and effective. Dr. Balthazar seeks to foster these skills by creating a classroom and clinical environment where students actively participate in their learning.

Diversity Statement

Dr. Balthazar has a long-standing commitment to reducing inequities in healthcare. A key component in realizing that goal is increasing diversity among healthcare providers. As she, herself, is a member of multiple marginalized groups, she has had the personal experiences of having to manage the physical, emotional, social, and institutional barriers designed to prevent her success. Dr. Balthazar is the second of four children born to Haitian Immigrants. Born and raised in the Midwestern United States, being different has permeated every aspect of her life. Instead of being defeated by her circumstances, she used them to harness the work ethic, persistence, and tenacity that are the bedrock of her career now.

As a Black Woman in science, Dr. Balthazar has seen, firsthand, how the academic environment can be unwelcoming, unfair and inequitable to people who are perceived to be different. She is, therefore, committed to fostering an inclusive environment designed for everyone to excel regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities, sexual preference, or socioeconomic status. To that end, she is also committed to ensuring that cultural sensitivity and consideration is at the core of everything she teaches.