One of the most exciting aspects of an academic environment is the opportunity to bring my enthusiasm for geography to students.  Few things are as rewarding as seeing a student have that “aha!” moment during a classroom discussion.  As geographers, it is our challenge to serve as ambassadors for our discipline to students who are usually quite unaware about what geographers study, and I fully and readily accept that responsibility.  Through my career as a graduate student, I have gained extensive teaching experience at a variety of institutions, well-equipping me to cater my instruction to a diverse array of student needs.  I offer a large arsenal of teaching techniques to capture the minds and imaginations of students, and I have proven to be an exceptionally effective instructor.

A packet, which summarizes my extensive teaching credentials, is available in a print-friendly format.

Philosophy of instruction

Because the acquisition of critical thinking skills is so important to students, I never pretend to be without bias in my teaching.  I reiterate this point to students repeatedly throughout the semester, enabling them to interpret what I present to them through their own lenses, and constantly reminding them that learning is a process which builds upon that which has already been learned.

In my classes, I present content materials to students using a number of different media, ensuring that students receive their information from a number of sources and through a variety of methods.  I require that students read the textbook specifically to gain a basis of knowledge, supplemented with in-class lectures and activities focusing on specific topics in greater detail.  Important to the learning process in the classroom is a mixture of lecture, multimedia presentations, and student response.  For particularly controversial subjects, I often introduce a variety of perspectives, specifically designed to prompt classroom or small group discussion, or a brief written response.  In such activities, I stress that the orientation of students’ opinions is not nearly as important as the ability to use knowledge gained from classes and real-life experiences to support their arguments. 

I also try to broaden the “real-life” experiences of students by including field experiences and community service learning in courses when possible. I’ve found that doing so helps students better engage with complex topics better than is possible with solely a classroom discussion.

To evaluate students, I employ a mixture of methods catered to the needs of the course and certain limitations, such as class size. Typically, evaluation includes examinations, quizzes, informal homework assignments, research papers, in-class assignments and classroom participation.  In doing so, I work to ensure that students are evaluated on their progress as critically thinking scholars and not only based on their skill at navigating multiple-choice exams.  I have found my teaching methods to be effective, not only in the development of critical thinking skills for students I teach, but through the retention of relevant information as presented in class.

integrating fieldwork

In each class for which such inclusion is feasible, I try to incorporate some in-person experiential component.  These components have included both long-distance field trips and explorations of local phenomena. While sometimes initially reluctant, students have reported that these particular components lead to stronger retention of content and a better understanding of the “real-world” applicability of topics covered in the course.

In 2007, I had the opportunity to develop and lead a First Year Experience course for freshmen at Kent State University.  This course, which focused on the idea of the American “Road Trip,” included a trip to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  There, I was able to expose the students to some of the very ideas we had discussed in class, particularly geographies of tourism and local economic development, as well as questions of ecology and resource management.  The students in this course expressed overwhelming satisfaction with the educational experience.

The use of fieldwork components does not necessarily involve long-distance travel.  Many communities and campuses have excellent examples of various geographic topics.  For example, in my courses at Kent State University, I take advantage of the May 4 Memorial to discuss alteration of place and space through memorialization, and other contestations thereof.  Spring semester sections are also required to attend the annual commemoration ceremony as a study of political discourse and sacred space. I am constantly seeking new local opportunities to make sometimes abstract concepts in geography relevant to my students.

SErvice learning and community engagement

In my opinion, another important component to a well-rounded and relevant university education is the usage of service learning and a student engagement in the community in which they are living.  In my large, introductory classes where a broader group service-learning project is less possible, I provide extra credit opportunities specifically for volunteering significant time to local charities and non-profit organizations that serve the community.  I have developed relationships with the staffs of several of these prominent groups in Northeastern Ohio to ensure that the experience for both the student and the organization is a rewarding one.

In more advanced classes, I implement service learning capstone projects, which will allow students to demonstrate the skills and knowledges learned in the course to a direct community result.

Teaching experience

Associate Lecturer, Department of Public Service Technology
The University of Akron.  Akron, OH USA

1. •Fall 2010 to Present
   

2. •Led upper-level courses in areas of specialty. Catered to the differing demands of career-oriented students in a professional education program.
   
   

Associate Lecturer, Department of Geography and Planning
The University of Akron.  Akron, OH USA

1. •Fall 2009 to Present
   

2. •Led introductory courses in geography with full instructional responsibility.  Section enrollments averaged 50 students.  Catered to the many varied needs presented by a diverse student population.
   
   

Instructor, Department of Geography
Kent State University.  Kent, OH USA

1. •Fall 2005 to Present
   

2. •Led introductory courses in geography with full instructional responsibility.  Section enrollments ranged from four to 165 students, with an average enrollment of 78. Included day, evening, weekend and summer sections, catered to a diverse array of student needs.
   

Kent State University, Stark and Tuscarawas Campuses.

1. •Summer 2006, Spring 2007, Summer 2007, Spring 2010, Summer 2010
   

2. •Led introductory courses in geography with full instructional responsibility.  Section enrollments averaged 17 students. Courses were catered to the regional campus audience of transfer and non-traditional students.
   

3. •Served as mid-semester substitute instructor for World Regional and Sub-Saharan Africa courses in Spring 2007, completing the semester after assuming class from an ill professor after four weeks.
   
   

Laboratory Instructor, Department of Geography

Ball State University.  Muncie, IN USA

1. •Fall 2003 to Spring 2005
   

2. •Led physical geography laboratory sections under the supervision of lecture-section faculty.  Responsibilities included creation and delivery of brief lectures, supervision of classroom activities, evaluation of provided assignment sheets, and calculation of student averages.
   

3. •Instructed three sections per semester with an average enrollment of 22 students.
   

Instructor of Design Technology

Ivy Tech Community College, East Central Division.  Anderson & Muncie, IN USA

1. •Spring 2003 to Spring 2005
   

2. •Led introductory through advanced courses in graphic design with full responsibility, specifically covering print and web-based media.  Instructed a diverse population of students at multiple regional campuses with varied computer experience.  Designed and delivered lecture materials, created and implemented detailed laboratory assignments.
   

Full teaching packet available here.

Updated: April 25, 2011

Printable packet of teaching credentials is available here.