Teaching
Teaching and science communication are incredibly important to me and remain a focus : why learn about the world if we are unable to share our findings, our passion, and our stories? An important part of discovering truth is relaying it to others and working with them to make the world a better place. I have over fifteen years teaching experience in university, primary and secondary school contexts, and this work continues to educate and inspire me. I have taught ESL overseas and continue to do so, and specialize in math and science education.
Teaching philosophy
My teaching philosophy is dynamic and evolving. Appropriate teaching is a holistic experience informed by the sum total of the students, the teacher, and context. As I continue my academic journey my teaching is becoming more public (larger class sizes, conferences, public lectures) and my audiences more varied. Teachable moments are both created and discovered, and it is this interactive dialectic that makes it interesting. I’ve been a math and science tutor for many years, and the close contact enabled by one-on-one tutoring inspires me to attempt to forge the same connection with large groups. In the university setting I believe that professors should profess; that is, I feel that the art of lecture and rhetoric is being lost. As the revolution in class activities, interactive classrooms and YouTube lessons continue university education is presented with novel opportunities for experimentation and innovation. While Powerpoint slides, ‘clickers’ and online quizzes are powerful tools in our toolbox, Socratic dialogue remains my favourite methodology; I think it is imoprtant that a classroom lesson remain an experience more like Theatre than Television. It is rare in Western culture that a person have fifty consecutive minutes to weave a tale through complex and challenging topics. It is our responsibility as professors to guide students through such landscapes quickly and safely.