Teaching is pretty sweet. I school people all day. (Courtesy of one of my amazing past students, Jesse Mauk when determining what I may use as a caption here... truth be told, teaching is pretty sweet, but moreso because I'm the one who gets schooled every day...)
With South Africa NGO class, 2012
Simply put,
I love my job. I have the privilege of working with incredibly bright and committed students and colleagues on a daily basis. Working and learning alongside students is both inspiring and motivating, not to mention a whole lot of fun. I am committed to students’ learning and to supporting intellectual and academic curiosity and growth both inside and outside of the classroom. I take my role seriously, as I believe teaching brings with it a high degree of responsibility.
As a professor, I believe I am ultimately responsible for what happens in the classroom, although I intentionally share some responsibility with students for enhancing their own learning experience. We share the responsibility of co-creating a learning community and I see students as dynamic adult learners who bring with them a pre-existing knowledge base – developed through a combination of formal education, professional practice, and general lived experiences.
As a culturally-responsive teacher, I consider each student individually while creating opportunities for the class to learn collectively. While each student is unique, and has personal strengths, challenges, and academic aspirations, as a whole, we create a learning community in which intellectual curiosity and inquiry is nurtured. The learning styles and preferences of ‘today’s learners’ are varied (they always have been), and thus, I ensure that each class offers learning activities and engagement for a diversity of learning styles. This includes a range of action-based, experiential, and service-learning elements. I make this effort in order to meet the educational needs of each student. I work hard to establish and maintain an atmosphere of trust, challenge, and intrigue in each of my classes, and am diligent about assuring students obtain a well-rounded, engaging, and lasting education.
One of my goals is to model the characteristics that are expected of Human Services (HS) professionals, such as being client-centered (or student-centered) and establishing and maintaining authentic relationships. An undercurrent in my teaching is my encouragement of students to align their espoused selves (who they claim to be as individuals and as aspiring human service practitioners) with their actualized selves (who they display themselves to be through their words, actions, and ways of being). Therefore, I attempt to align my teaching and education wants with my teaching and education realities.
As I consider the values and interests that influence my teaching, I focus on those that are most strongly supported by student feedback, including: My interest in multi-cultural education, and culturally responsive practice; An interactive, action-oriented approach to teaching; Utilizing inter-disciplinary approaches and theoretical perspectives; Using a
student-centered and supportive approach to teaching, and; My commitment to academic rigor and student learning.
As a professor, I believe I am ultimately responsible for what happens in the classroom, although I intentionally share some responsibility with students for enhancing their own learning experience. We share the responsibility of co-creating a learning community and I see students as dynamic adult learners who bring with them a pre-existing knowledge base – developed through a combination of formal education, professional practice, and general lived experiences.
As a culturally-responsive teacher, I consider each student individually while creating opportunities for the class to learn collectively. While each student is unique, and has personal strengths, challenges, and academic aspirations, as a whole, we create a learning community in which intellectual curiosity and inquiry is nurtured. The learning styles and preferences of ‘today’s learners’ are varied (they always have been), and thus, I ensure that each class offers learning activities and engagement for a diversity of learning styles. This includes a range of action-based, experiential, and service-learning elements. I make this effort in order to meet the educational needs of each student. I work hard to establish and maintain an atmosphere of trust, challenge, and intrigue in each of my classes, and am diligent about assuring students obtain a well-rounded, engaging, and lasting education.
One of my goals is to model the characteristics that are expected of Human Services (HS) professionals, such as being client-centered (or student-centered) and establishing and maintaining authentic relationships. An undercurrent in my teaching is my encouragement of students to align their espoused selves (who they claim to be as individuals and as aspiring human service practitioners) with their actualized selves (who they display themselves to be through their words, actions, and ways of being). Therefore, I attempt to align my teaching and education wants with my teaching and education realities.
As I consider the values and interests that influence my teaching, I focus on those that are most strongly supported by student feedback, including: My interest in multi-cultural education, and culturally responsive practice; An interactive, action-oriented approach to teaching; Utilizing inter-disciplinary approaches and theoretical perspectives; Using a
student-centered and supportive approach to teaching, and; My commitment to academic rigor and student learning.
Courses taught:
I have taught the following courses at WWU. Unless otherwise
indicated, these are all 4-credit courses. Sample syllabus are provided for
added detail, however it is important to note (particularly for prospective
students) that syllabi change from quarter to quarter and depending on
professor/instructor. Thus, the syllabi available here should be used as
examples only.
Human Service Professionals and Personal Systems (HSP 301)
Human Service Professionals and Interpersonal Systems (HSP 303)
Human Service Professionals and Small Group Systems (HSP 305)
Human Development and Human Services (HSP 315)
Practicum and Seminar I (HSP 340)
Practicum and Seminar II (HSP 341)
Applied Research Methods (HSP 385)
Human Service Professionals and Organizational Systems (HSP 402)
Human Service Professionals and Community Systems (HSP 404)
Human Service Professionals and Societal and Global Systems (HSP 406)
Readings and Projects (HSP 430)
South Africa: Nongovernmental Organizations in Development (HSP 437G: 12-credits)
Capstone Portfolio (HSP 495)
Independent Studies:
-- First Generation College Goers (3 credits)
-- Ethics on Service (5 credits)
-- Families and Communities (2 credits)
-- Extended Internship and Seminar (2 credits)
-- Service-based Human Services Management and Training (2 credits)
-- Youth Advocacy (1 credit)
Human Service Professionals and Personal Systems (HSP 301)
Human Service Professionals and Interpersonal Systems (HSP 303)
Human Service Professionals and Small Group Systems (HSP 305)
Human Development and Human Services (HSP 315)
Practicum and Seminar I (HSP 340)
Practicum and Seminar II (HSP 341)
Applied Research Methods (HSP 385)
Human Service Professionals and Organizational Systems (HSP 402)
Human Service Professionals and Community Systems (HSP 404)
Human Service Professionals and Societal and Global Systems (HSP 406)
Readings and Projects (HSP 430)
South Africa: Nongovernmental Organizations in Development (HSP 437G: 12-credits)
Capstone Portfolio (HSP 495)
Independent Studies:
-- First Generation College Goers (3 credits)
-- Ethics on Service (5 credits)
-- Families and Communities (2 credits)
-- Extended Internship and Seminar (2 credits)
-- Service-based Human Services Management and Training (2 credits)
-- Youth Advocacy (1 credit)
teaching examples...
Last Day of Junior Core, 2013 at Lakewood Boathouse