My teaching philosophy is rooted in pedagogies that unthink mastery, prioritize community, and emphasize whole body intelligence. I believe the classroom is a place of safety where everyone, myself included, learns and grows. Learning happens through mistakes and failure, so each gathering and assignment provides an opportunity to practice skills and apply knowledge developed from the course.

Thus, my methods of instruction are oriented towards cultivating curiosity and focused attention that inspires students to walk away from my classes equipped to explore the world around them with a posture of growth and transformation. Each time we meet, I create opportunities to practice thoughtful reflection, critical analysis, self-awareness, and collaborative work.

I believe poetry and literature are two genres that engender empathy, curiosity, and attentional modes of engagement that evoke awe and wonder for the world and the people around us. My ultimate goal for students is that they learn attentional practices to resist the attention economy built on distraction that seems to result in anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Courses taught as the instructor of record:

Michigan State University

ENG 210: Introduction to Literary Genres

IAH 231: Gossip in Art and Literature

ENG 129: Introduction to Reading Poetry

Hope College

ENG 113: Expository Writing

Co-taught courses through a study abroad program:

Michigan State University

ENG 355: Readings in Sexuality and Literature

HST 420: History of Sexuality since the 18th Century

MC 388: Sexual Politics: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

WS 202: Introduction to Contemporary Feminist Theories 

WS 304: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) and Sexuality Studies

WS 424: Seminar in Queer Studies

Courses taught as a recitation leader:

IAH 207: Afrofuturism

IAH 202: Europe and the World

IAH 207: Gothic Literature

IAH 209: Dangerous Art

IAH 241: Sex and Violence in Film and Media

Student testimonials

“She is such an amazing Professor who cares so much about her students and their learning. In her class we could not use technology, which was super impactful in creating a productive learning environment. Her class is discussion based with mini lectures. In general she is one of the best professors I have had because she provides structure with the needed additional or variation to not make the class feel robotic. You can clearly see that she cares about the content that she is teaching.” —Anonymous Student

“The way she structured her class made it both easy and fun to learn about a complex topic that could be interpreted in many ways. Not only did I learn the parts that make up poetry, but she went in depth into the historical context surrounding the literature. She always gave feedback on assignments and she built a strong connection between her students allowing us to communicate with her without fear. I can genuinely say that I was always excited to enter her classroom. She always made sure everyone was included in the conversations and that every opinion was respected. I have learned so much from the course material but also about myself from the experiences I had in her classroom.” —Anonymous Student

“April Best's course was by far one of the most engaging courses I have taken during my time at this university, I feel that if more classes were structured like introduction to reading poetry, my learning experience would be better tenfold, and I say this in complete sincerity.” —Anonymous Student

“All I have to say is this, Professor Best has the ability to make an 8:00 a.m. poetry class feel like a home away from home.” —Anonymous Student