teaching

Before you say no, consider this scenario. Right now there are millions like me that are paying a carrier that provides terrible service far too much money for phone, text, and data. If only we could use our iPhones (without jail-breaking and unlocking them) on Verizon, we have often mused. But who wants to give up their amazing iPhone just for a bit better service? [Insert your favorite "Can you hear me know?" joke here.]

Well, in late April, we can now ditch our iPhones. Why not opt for a free model from Verizon that can handle calls and texts and get an unlimited data plan for the iPad? I presume that Verizon will offer a similar $29/mo. unlimited data plan for it. If they're smart, they'll offer a deal for iPhone switchers. (I bet Apple didn't see that coming.)

Now you have the best of both worlds -- the best cellular coverage in the country and a portable Internet device with 3G service. And it should cost about the same per month.

The downsides, of course, are that the Internet device doesn't fit in your pocket as neatly as the iPhone, but it does a whole lot more and is no bigger than carrying a newspaper or manila folder around. And it will set you back $630.

But I can see it replacing much of the functionality of my laptop AND my iPhone. My laptop can stay at work -- no more lugging it everywhere I go. The iPad, with Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, can handle almost all of my teaching needs. My research needs are met by my laptop in my office.

Teaching has always come naturally to me, although I have scoffed at many of the traditional pedagogical methods right from the start. For example, it is often suggested that to gain respect and control of the class, teachers needs to give a tough impression on the first day. While I understand that philosophy, it doesn’t work for me. I prefer to befriend my class. I prefer to make the students laugh and feel comfortable. I connect and relate to them. In turn, they open up, participate, attend class, and learn. I am often told (even on anonymous evaluations) that “this is the only class I was excited to attend” and “this was the only class I never missed.” Getting students to participate in class, generating interest in the material, and making students comfortable and excited to attend class is just the first step in my successful teaching strategy.

I see teaching as a team effort between myself and the students; the student must want to learn and be willing to put the effort in, but it is my job to inspire students to learn and provide them with direction. My students respond to me. And other faculty do, too. These aren't just hopeful claims, or theoretical ramblings. My tactics in and out of the classroom have been reaching students for 10 years. And other faculty have taken notice. I’ve even been asked to contribute to and even lead faculty Learning Communities and have been invited by other universities to present my teaching strategies to their faculty.

My passion for geography, climate, teaching, research, and science in general is contagious. As an instructor, I am humorous, passionate, fun, and able to convey information clearly and in creative ways. I continually seek new ways to connect to students, express new concepts, and encourage critical thought. I often adopt new technologies in my classes, use hands-on, experiential learning, and field trips whenever possible. My students respond with extremely positive feedback, consistently the highest in the various department in which I have taught.

Since 1996, I have taught at various levels, with over 10 years experience of teaching undergraduate and graduate level geography courses, and participated in hundreds of hours of professional development activities. My experience includes teaching a variety of ages, and groups varying in size from 1 to 600 students. I have taught classes and labs in Remote Sensing, GIS, Cartography, Weather and Climate, Earth Science, Meteorology, Weather Forecasting and Analysis, Severe Weather, Physical Geography, Climatology, Boundary Layer Climatology, Field Methods, Human Geography, World Regional Geography, Natural Hazards, and Global Change. There are many other classes in geography, and more advanced courses in remote sensing, climatology, glaciology, and field methods that I am excited to teach as well. In my classes, I constantly examine real-world examples, engage students in actual research projects and provide hands-on experiences which make lasting impressions. My wide and varied teaching experiences have helped me hone my natural teaching abilities.

Updated 9-Nov-09. I frequently give talks on climate change and am often asked to share my presentation. Here is a recent one for download and use. If you use it, please let me know. Choose the appropriate format and spread the word about global climate change.

The talks are really intended for me to present, so there is very little text. I've tried to add some notes and references to help you. Contact me if you have any questions.

• KeyNote '09: Global Warming Talk Updated 9-Nov-09 -Original format (233 MB)
• PDF: Global Warming Talk Updated 9-Nov-09(33 MB)
• PowerPoint: Global Warming Talk Updated 9-Nov-09 -Exported from Keynote (126 MB)
• Older version of PowerPoint: Download

Somehow, in all my years in school, I never stumbled upon this classic bit of logic.

...can students really be "surprised" when the teacher tells them it will happen?

On Friday, a high school teacher announces to his class that there will be a surprise quiz some time during the next week. "By surprise," he states, "I mean that, the night before the quiz, you will not be able to deduce that the quiz will be the next day." A clever student raises his hand and says, "Well, the exam definitely cannot be on Friday because on Thursday night, we would be 100% certain that the exam would be the next day. But then, the exam cannot be on Thursday either because, knowing that it cannot be on Friday, on Wednesday night we could deduce that the exam must be on Thursday. By similar reasoning, it is impossible to give the exam on Wednesday, Tuesday, or Monday. Therefore, your claim that you will give a surprise quiz next week is clearly false."

This is clearly a silly paradox. If you add the possibility that there might not be a quiz, the logic breaks down. Still, can students really be "surprised" when the teacher tells them it will happen?

To truly surprise students, the teacher must never let on that there might be a quiz. Having no inkling of the quiz is the only way to make it a real surprise. Students beware!

...your job can have one of the biggest impacts on your happiness and health. While many things in your life affect your health, such as proper diet, exercise, breathing, relaxing, and so on, your job can have one of the biggest impacts on your happiness and health. According to a survey conducted by Monster.com, the 10 healthiest jobs to have are:

• Yoga instructor
• Personal trainer
• Professor
• Florist
• Activity specialist
• Chiropractor
• Choreographer
• Massage therapist
• Nutritionist
• Running coach

The also list the seven most stressful occupations as:

• Air traffic controller
• CEO
• Firefighter
• Police officer
• Taxi driver
• Farmer
• Junior high school teacher

As much as I loved working at Cornerstone as a Middle School Teacher, this should help everyone see that I made a healthy choice!

Two years ago, when I was teaching Flash to some Middle School students, I published their movies here. Enjoy. Or as one of my students wrote, "injoy".

It's a shame that the previous year's work is not included. There were some very talented flash designers!

Hands down the best professor I have ever had. Over the last 9 semesters I have taught 11 classes at TCC and have gotten student evaluation results from 5 of those classes (student evaluations are not given in summer classes for some odd reason). Below is a table of the accumulated results of those surveys. (Click read more if you don't see the table.)

My rough students statistics are as follows:
Male: 40%
Female: 60%
Black: 29%
Hispanic: 9%

Students that took more than one of my classes: 11
Total: 370 students (just at TCC)

In teaching my Middle School Computer Graphics course, one of the topics I like to discuss is how the media use photo manipulation to change how people look, and in doing so, change our perceptions of how people should look.

I show various before and after images of women being transformed from plain to perfect using photoshop.

I hope that teaching these students not to trust what they see in the media, they will learn more self-esteem and more respect for natural beauty.

Along those lines, the video below highlights just how far companies go to turn a plain looking woman into their model of beauty.

I look forward to your comments below!

I encouraged one of my former students to publish a paper she wrote in my class. Here it is: Climate change threatens life, security and property. I'm thrilled to see this paper published. Obviously she scored an A on the paper!

My students always have very positive things to say about my teaching. By then end of a semester, I usually have been complimented on my teaching by most of the students in class (and I don't give out "brownie points"). They really do seem to like me.

On anonymous student evaluations, I usually come out on top of any department I teach in, and rarely receive any negative feedback. Still, I would not consider my classes "easy".

See what students who have taken my class have had to say at ratemyprofssor.com.