Teaching Philosphy

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.