Influenced by Freinet, Freire, and Sherover-Marcuse, the author describes the evolution of her pedagogy, including a demystifying and empowering approach to working with graduate students in the dissertation process. Alma Flor Ada's educational philosophy and praxis, grounded in critical pedagogy and transformative education, developed in the context of several decades teaching doctoral students at the University of San Francisco's (USF's) School of Education, in the International and Multicultural Education program. Included are various graduate-level classroom practices designed to encourage individual and group reflection on the learning process, build community, develop agency, explore culture, and balance group work and individual work.