Teaching Philosophy
My
goal as a teacher is to get students to think critically about the world they
live in. I accomplish this by exposing them to material that requires them to
consider issues from multiple perspectives, not just the ones with which they
are comfortable. This approach gives students a more
complete understanding of the subject matter and helps them develop the
capacity to think critically about the course material.
In my Global Green Politics course, for instance, the students participate in a semester long assignment designed to raise awareness regarding the amount of waste generated by the developed world. The students are challenged to give up at least one item for the entire semester that is harmful to the environment (i.e. paper towels, plastic bottles, prepackaged food, their car). As we discuss topics like water and food scarcity, sustainable architecture and development, the industrial food system, and global green policies students report their understanding of the material is enhanced because the assignment makes them think more critically about the material since they can relate it to their everyday actions.
Other assignments are designed to help students gain a broader perspective on global issues. In my human rights course, for instance, students start by making a list of the ten most important human rights. While easily identifying the familiar ones, students forget basic rights like the right not to be tortured, to have clean water, the right to own property, or even the freedom of movement. After comparing their own list of rights with those granted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights students are surprised by how many rights they did not consider. Because the lesson is given on the first day, it sets the tone for the students as we move into more controversial topics. They are more open to various viewpoints and consistently engage in more critical analysis of theories and concepts.
Some assignments are designed to help students relate more easily to the material. I use the board game Risk, the online game Nation-States, or my own in-class simulation in my courses on International Relations. These activities place students in the role of a leader of a state and give them experience at making decisions in an environment that mimics the international system. During each of these games students are told the object of the game is to “survive,” but survival is not defined. Some students engage in war as often as possible, seeking to become the hegemon. Others view cooperation and alliance building as necessary for survival, and prefer to avoid war. At the conclusion of the game or simulation students are asked to analyze the behavior of all players and to explain which theory best explains the outcome. Students not only have a clearer understanding of the different IR theories after these exercises, but they have a more complete comprehension of the complexity of the world and its impact on state behavior.
All of my courses are designed with the purpose of generating critical thinking while giving the students an opportunity to more easily relate theories and concepts to their own lives. As a result, students gain a better perspective on global issues.
In my Global Green Politics course, for instance, the students participate in a semester long assignment designed to raise awareness regarding the amount of waste generated by the developed world. The students are challenged to give up at least one item for the entire semester that is harmful to the environment (i.e. paper towels, plastic bottles, prepackaged food, their car). As we discuss topics like water and food scarcity, sustainable architecture and development, the industrial food system, and global green policies students report their understanding of the material is enhanced because the assignment makes them think more critically about the material since they can relate it to their everyday actions.
Other assignments are designed to help students gain a broader perspective on global issues. In my human rights course, for instance, students start by making a list of the ten most important human rights. While easily identifying the familiar ones, students forget basic rights like the right not to be tortured, to have clean water, the right to own property, or even the freedom of movement. After comparing their own list of rights with those granted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights students are surprised by how many rights they did not consider. Because the lesson is given on the first day, it sets the tone for the students as we move into more controversial topics. They are more open to various viewpoints and consistently engage in more critical analysis of theories and concepts.
Some assignments are designed to help students relate more easily to the material. I use the board game Risk, the online game Nation-States, or my own in-class simulation in my courses on International Relations. These activities place students in the role of a leader of a state and give them experience at making decisions in an environment that mimics the international system. During each of these games students are told the object of the game is to “survive,” but survival is not defined. Some students engage in war as often as possible, seeking to become the hegemon. Others view cooperation and alliance building as necessary for survival, and prefer to avoid war. At the conclusion of the game or simulation students are asked to analyze the behavior of all players and to explain which theory best explains the outcome. Students not only have a clearer understanding of the different IR theories after these exercises, but they have a more complete comprehension of the complexity of the world and its impact on state behavior.
All of my courses are designed with the purpose of generating critical thinking while giving the students an opportunity to more easily relate theories and concepts to their own lives. As a result, students gain a better perspective on global issues.