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Photo of Diana Dominguez

Diana V. Dominguez, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

English Department

College of Liberal Arts

UT Brownsville

Simply put, I teach because I am addicted to the thrill of the "a-ha" moment: that moment when a student's eyes register an instant of epiphany. 

Everything I do in the classroom is in the service of helping my students find their way to their own “a-ha” moments.  True comprehension is not something I can just “transfer” to them in a passive exchange of information; it is also not the same for every student.  They must figure it out for themselves, and find the X that marks the spot on their own treasure map of learning and knowledge.  That journey to the “a-ha” moment – one that I invariably take alongside my students, I have to admit – epitomizes the three pillars of my teaching philosophy: student engagement leads to student empowerment, which, in turn, enriches students’ lives in ways they sometimes are not aware of until much later.