How instructors Nikki Mantyla and Eric Riddle, PhD, encourage dignity in their classrooms
At Colorado Mesa University, Visiting Instructor of English Nikki Mantyla and Instructor of Composition Eric Riddle, PhD, have found innovative ways to integrate the university’s core values: love, dignity, courage, humility, resilience, curiosity and power, into their teaching. By using tools like the Dignity Index, a self-reflection rating system used for promoting respectful and empathetic communication, Mantyla and Riddle encourage students to embrace dignity, resilience and empathy. Their approach aligns with CMU’s mission to develop socially responsible individuals who pursue personal growth and model the world we want to create within a Human Scale University environment.
Mantyla’s journey to CMU and her approach to teaching have been profoundly shaped by her roots in a family of educators, which instilled in her a deep commitment to student-centered learning. Meanwhile, Riddle was inspired by his own transformative college experience, which fueled his desire to mentor students in the same way his professors once guided him.
Teaching With Intention
For both English instructors, teaching goes far beyond the mechanics of writing. Mantyla approaches lesson planning with an intentional, holistic perspective, asking herself where her students need to be by semester’s end and how to best guide them. Recognizing the multiple challenges students face, she consciously engages them in a way that respects their unique perspectives.
“I see their lives reflected in the expressions and energy they bring,” she said, referring to the deeper, human side of teaching that is easy to overlook.
From the start of the semester, Mantyla introduces her students to campus values, using the Dignity Index as a foundational tool to build empathy and self-awareness. She encourages students to consider the power of their words on others, recognizing the humanity in everyone they interact with.
Riddle approaches his role in a similar way. Having discovered his passion for teaching during his undergraduate studies, Riddle sees his classroom as a space where students can critically examine their beliefs while learning to communicate with respect and empathy. Riddle uses the Dignity Index in the classroom to encourage students to articulate their perspectives with confidence while embracing the diverse viewpoints of their peers.
“The main point is to make sure you’re treating each other as people who are valuable and worthy of respect even if they disagree with you,” Riddle said.
The Power of the Dignity Index
This shared commitment to utilizing the Dignity Index in class aligns seamlessly with CMU’s core values. The Dignity Index offers students a tangible way to understand how respect and contempt differ, illustrating the nuance of effective, respectful communication. Mantyla incorporates textbooks like They Say, I Say to teach students how to acknowledge opposing perspectives. Both instructors encourage students to express their thoughts respectfully and constructively, promoting an environment where students can discuss ideas openly and even disagree while still extending dignity to one another.
“It’s a good reminder that we grow when we interact with people who don’t agree with us,” Riddle said. “It helps us avoid the echo chamber.”
For Mantyla, dignity isn’t just a concept to discuss, but a value to live by. Observing how her students adapt the principles of the Dignity Index into their own lives, she’s noticed a transformation in classroom dynamics.
“I’ve seen a greater sense of community,” Mantyla noted.
With Compassion Comes Community
Mantyla and Riddle’s teaching approaches reflect a broader culture-building effort at CMU, one in which students and faculty actively engage in civil discourse related to some of today’s most controversial topics. President John Marshall himself frequently emphasizes the importance of dignity, respect and empathy when communicating with others.
Mantyla recalled a student’s comment about President Marshall’s genuine approach to displaying dignity towards everyone on campus — ‘CMU is so great; you can tell President Marshall really cares about us.’
Mantyla’s own experience reflected this perspective.
“These values are lived from the top to the bottom. We’re not expecting something of our students that isn’t modeled by President Marshall,” she said.
When CMU’s largest freshman class in history entered this academic year, it was the perfect opportunity to integrate CMU values into their curriculum. For many students, this was their first exposure to a community where love, dignity, resilience and power are championed as foundational values. Riddle and Mantyla embraced the opportunity to contribute to this culture, noting that even seemingly small interactions contribute to a more welcoming and respectful environment.
Through their approach, Mantyla and Riddle are cultivating the next generation of compassionate communicators, helping students recognize the power of dignity in all areas of life — a lesson that will benefit them long after they leave CMU.