Below are selected student evaluations from my time at Columbia University. I have organized them around my three core teaching philosophies: intellectual independence, productive failure, and love & inclusion. Moreover, I firmly believe that teaching is a mutual learning process: I have as much to learn from my students as they do from me. As some of these quotations show, I became a better teacher throughout the semester.
Intellectual Independence
- “He could break down complex material to help students make sense of cumbersome theories or readings, and he asked questions that really stirred ideas.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (2024 Fall)
- “Gilbert was an excellent TA due to his preparedness for class and ability to lead discussions. He was engaging and willing to have challenging conversations necessary for understanding the concepts of the course.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “Gilbert was a great instructor who set clear expectation for the course, consistently encouraged critical thinking, and always came to class prepared with points to stimulate discussion. He was extremely patient and responsive to students’ thoughts and needs.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “In this way, we learned how to find and tackle the critique in various scholarly articles. I think his teaching approach provides valuable insights into not only understanding the content but also assessing the strength of each week’s author’s logical consistency and foundational understanding of international politics.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “He is very invested in the material and often asks questions during class time as though he were a student himself, which is fabulous.” Student in Ending War and Building Peace (Fall 2023)
Productive Failures
- “Gilbert was an amazing lecturer. He was very knowledgeable, kind, and put lots of efforts so that we could all learn the subjects and cared about the class. He was very comprehensive and would help us whenever we had a hard time with the subject. He is strict but also flexible and I consider him to be one of the professors I’ve had so far.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “He truly understands the challenges international students face when participating in class and offered me valuable advice that helped me build the confidence to speak up. His class has significantly broadened my worldview, giving me a more rational yet optimistic outlook. I now feel even more motivated to contribute meaningfully to the world.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “His grading is fair, and he wants students to succeed so he is very willing to help with any questions/concerns you might have about either the midterm/final, response papers, or even just class concepts. Gilbert enriched my learning in this class.” Student in Ending War and Building Peace (Fall 2023)
- “He clearly wanted everyone to succeed and made every effort to enable that to happen.” Student in Ending War and Building Peace (Fall 2023)
Love & Inclusion
- “Gilbert is always receptive to student feedback and has implemented them along the way to improve class experience.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “Gilbert Lai was an incredibly passionate and excellent instructor. He created an environment where students could naturally participate without feeling pressured or being called on. The class was conducted in a very collaborative and relaxed atmosphere.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “Gilbert is an excellent teacher, and I think he became a better one throughout the semester. He really understands the material. He cares about the students and takes the time to explain things more thoroughly if requested.” Student in Conceptual Foundations of International Politics (Fall 2024)
- “Gilbert is very accessible for office hours and over email, and he gave straightforward feedback as I wrote my response paper. He also asked regularly for feedback and was the most responsive TA I’ve had!” Student in Ending War and Building Peace (Fall 2023)
- “He is always open to questions and comments from people, and is extremely attentive via emails and communications. He is very clear in his feedback and makes sure to always leave time allotted in his office hours and even his personal time to make sure students get the material. He even asked his own questions during lecture which showed his work ethic as a student but also created community in this classroom as a space of collective learning.” Student in Ending War and Building Peace (Fall 2023)
- “Phenomenal work! This is not an easy class to do as TA, since the course is too dense and the amount of knowledge we most process is significant. Despite the course having complicated terms and extensive arguments, he was capable of simplifying it and even made us laugh at the process. He was always willing to work with me and provide me feedback and additional support if needed. I can say that his work made this class more accessible to me and helped get the most out of it” Student in Nationalism and Contemporary World Politics (Spring 2024)
- “Gilbert was so understanding and supportive. He constantly gave us tips and clarified the material. He was always incredibly generous with his time. I struggled this semester and Gilbert was incredibly supportive, offering advice as a peer and helped me get through some rough patches.” Student in Nationalism and Contemporary World Politics (Spring 2024)
- “Gilbert is amazing! He is very supportive and genuinely kind and always sends out clear instructions, guidelines, and feedback in a timely way. I find his office hours helpful and he gives great book/ source recommendations. His grading is also fair and highly efficient.” Student in Introduction to Human Rights (Fall 2025)