My Philosophy on Teaching
Whether I am lecturing in class, leading a seminar, taking my students on a behind-the-scenes tour at a cultural institution, or meeting with a student in my office, I work to foster a culture of excellence. My assignments are demanding and my constructive criticism is not blanched. I view every interaction with students as an opportunity to inspire self-reflection and cultivate critical thinking skills. I believe students must learn not only what happened in the past but become skilled at discerning why. In order to ensure that all of my students are challenged, from those who have never taken a history course to those who are completing their dissertations, I oblige them to “do history:” work with primary sources, craft interpretations, and discuss their analysis among a group of peers. Through this method of active learning, students realize how historical narratives are assembled and how to assess the contested nature of these narratives. In making meaning of the past, students learn how their present was constructed and can determine for themselves what future they might create.
On this website you can find links to selected course syllabi, see what students did with twitter and blogs, learn about student projects I supervised, and peruse the website I created for graduate students to enhance their professional development in the area of professional ethics and best practices for historians participating in community engagement projects.