Teaching
Teaching
My teaching emphasizes active participation, real-world applications, and an inclusive classroom in which students feel comfortable asking questions and working through challenging material.
Teaching Philosophy
I view education as a tool that prepares students to understand the past, engage with the present, and make informed decisions about the future. My goal is to create an environment in which participation is encouraged, effort is valued, and students receive the support they need to learn.
In the classroom, I combine discussion, hands-on exercises, collaborative problem solving, and board work. I use real-world examples to make economic theory more accessible, pause regularly to check understanding, and invite students to explain concepts in their own words.
Instructor of Record
ECN 101: Introductory Microeconomics
Syracuse University · Summers 2024, 2025, and 2026
Enrollment: 12, 22, and 6 students
Course content
This intensive introductory course develops the core tools of microeconomic analysis. Topics include scarcity and choice, supply and demand, elasticity, consumer and producer behavior, market structures, externalities, and government policy. Lectures are paired with class exercises that give students repeated opportunities to apply each concept.
Selected Evaluation Results
Instructor evaluation response rates were 8 of 13 students in 2024 and 12 of 22 students in 2025.
Selected Student Feedback
“The professor made participation feel fun and not forced, and used it as a way for us to reinforce our learning.”ECN 101 student, Summer 2025
“Ms. Fortes made the material easier to understand by connecting the topics to real-world examples that would actually occur in a market.”ECN 101 student, Summer 2024
“Her dedication, expertise, and positive demeanor played a pivotal role in my success in this class. Neiva was a source of unwavering support, constantly encouraging us to reach our full potential.”ECN 301 student, 2023–2024
“Her approach creates an enjoyable and interactive learning environment and serves as a good supplement to learning outside the lecture, ensuring a thorough understanding of course materials.”ECN 301 student, 2023–2024
“She never spoke down to us, but rather treated us as equals, who all shared the same goal of understanding microeconomics fundamentals.”ECN 301 student, 2023–2024
“Concepts that made no sense during the lecture were now made easy. Her unique blend of educational rigor and genuine warmth created a system where learning was not only enriching but also enjoyable.”ECN 301 student, 2023–2024
“She invested time in ensuring concepts were understood, and I was continually impressed by her professionalism, responsiveness, and teaching ability.”ECN 301 student, 2023–2024
Excerpts are reproduced anonymously to protect student privacy.
Teaching Assistant
ECN 301: Intermediate Microeconomics
Syracuse University · Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
Multiple course sections
I attended lectures, held four hours of office hours each week, and led a weekly clinic focused on difficult concepts, practice questions, and fully worked solutions. The clinics emphasized participation, individualized feedback, and applications that made abstract concepts more relatable.
Teaching Assistant, Diversity and Democracy
Hartwick College · January 2022
Teaching Recognition
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Syracuse University · 2023–2024