My teaching philosophy is informed by my research expertise in multiple identities and culturally shaped self-construals. As a Mexican-American, I have grappled with the life-long challenge of balancing the community-oriented, interconnected nature of my cultural heritage with the autonomous, self-determination values of American society. Now, as an educator, I see first hand how students may benefit from experiencing both a community-oriented and an autonomous learning environment. I have created an educational pedagogy of interdependent (viewing the self in relation to one’s group) and independent (viewing the self as autonomous) learning and teaching. Fundamentally, my teaching philosophy emphasizes the value of an interdependent, collaborative learning environment while simultaneously focusing on the application of material to individual, personally-relevant contexts. The goal of this philosophy is to shape this next-generation of learners to be actively aware of the role they play in their own education while also affirming their roles in their broader communities.