I am at my best when I am teaching. I discovered this while I was a medic in the Army. I was selected to create and teach a combat lifesaver course for soldiers who had little to no medical training. I taught four cycles and completed the training of the next group of instructors. From creation to completion, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the experience, and was recognized by my peers and superiors for my good work. It was from that moment I knew that I wanted to be a college professor.

I have three main goals in teaching. First is delivering the course information in a comprehendible, unbiased way. I strive to be unbiased, teaching scientific and evidence-based scholarship. Second is conveying to my students their own efficacy. Teaching American government is teaching the power, policy, and history of efficacy. Third is teaching students to think critically.

American politics is real and current in our students’ minds, so it requires an accounting of the present political context and how the subject matter fits into it. International relations classes are theory based, so incorporating the class subject into the standard and accepted theories is essential. Comparative classes rely on theory as well, but the history of the study needs to come first to place the theories in context. My classes are structured, but they have room built in to explore issues which arise in the world or from students needs.

In my American government class, I start the semester by conducting a voting exercise which explains the importance of efficacy and participatory democracy. More importantly, it gives the students an understanding of why they must take American government. I believe every student should have a clear understanding from the beginning how any class they are taking benefits them. I also like a healthy dialogue in the classroom, so I strive to create a safe and respectable space for students to engage with the subject. I also include several activities, especially in freshman and sophomore classes, to give students practical and fun connections to the information. Because of this I am always on the lookout for exercises and activities which can enhance the learning environment.