My Approach

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of teaching a wide range of subjects in a variety of different settings. Across subjects and institutions, my teaching philosophy remains the same. My purpose as an educator is threefold:

  1. for students to understand not just how things are done, but the logic behind the processes,
  2. to teach students how to not just be good artists or academics, but good collaborators and community members, and
  3. to foster a spirit of curiosity that results in lifelong learning.

From lecturing in 300-seat lecture halls, to demonstrating Milanese buttonholes for a class of 6 students, my teaching is grounded in a holistic approach that engages students with a balance of play and rigour!

PDA 2025 Graduation Fashion Show

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Student Feedback

"I loved this course and Jennifer did an amazing job in this course. She is a great teacher and I thought that all the effort and hard work she put into this course was incredibly note worthy."

a Garment Construction student

“I was scared of patternmaking at first, but Jennifer is super supportive and always had tips to help us when we got stuck. I feel way more confident now, and weirdly I kind of love making patterns…?”

a Patternmaking student

"This course was very interesting and Jennifer has a great way of giving helpful feedback on assignments!"

Sophia, former Line Development student

"Jennifer goes above and beyond, coming in on weekends and answering our sewing questions over Teams. She's patient and always ready to help!"

a Garment Construction student

"I learned so much and feel like a lot of the pattern elements finally clicked into place for me. I also felt my confidence grow through the weeks and through your instruction and encouragement!"

Madeline, engineer and evening Pattern Drafting student

“Demonstrations of draping techniques were very informative, it was helpful to watch her complete content before trying it out for ourselves.”

a Draping student

“Just popping by to say how much I am enjoying the evening program. You have created a really lovely environment in the class, and I appreciate it.”

Jean, retired high school teacher and evening Garment Construction student

My journey through the arts and academia