Government
Tao Huang is an associate professor in the Government Department at Austin Community College (ACC). She arrived in Austin from Taiwan to earn her Ph.D. in Government at the University of Texas at Austin. She appreciates the privilege to teach at ACC and cherishes the opportunity to learn about the ever-evolving U.S. and Texas government systems with her students. Her mission in higher education is to coach students to become lifelong daring learners and critical thinkers who humbly — and yet confidently — embrace a growth mindset.
How has your community college teaching experience shaped your character over your career?
My ACC teaching experience certainly humbles and motivates me to embrace compassion and courage in this journey. Over the years, I have come to acknowledge the diverse desires among students and understand their many struggles in learning the subject. ACC’s mission has repeatedly reminded me to “choose” to accept, understand, and love them, rather than imposing my assumptions upon them. Because of that, I have gradually geared my teaching more toward coaching: asking thought-provoking questions, guiding students to find possible answers, teaching them how to formulate and evaluate their thoughts, and creating opportunities for them to practice these skills. Occasionally, I get glimpses of students’ joy when they see the connection between their personal lives and the learning content. That’s when I know I’ve responded to my vocational calling faithfully.