At the age of five, my mother returned to school to seek her master's degree. For my family, this was a huge step. My mother was a second-generation immigrant whose parents had barely attended school. My grandfather had dropped out of school in third grade, in fact, in order to start working. Thus, my entire family impressed upon me at a very early age the importance of seeking an education. My mother's entrance into graduate school moved me across the state, as well as thrust me into a world of college classes. Through my mother’s education, I came to believe strongly in the value of a higher education. History teaches critical thinking, understanding, and gives students valuable research skills that they can apply towards a number of fields. Students of history learn to appreciate other cultures, and become more informed about the world around them as a result of their studies. Their reading and writing skills improve, and they develop their analytical skills as well. These kinds of skills are essential to living in modern society, because without an understanding of the world around us, we struggle to find our place.
I strongly believe in taking a one-on-one approach with my students. I know that this is frequently impossible, given the size of classes, but I endeavor to make some kind of connection with each of my students and let them know I am there if they need me. I respond to their e-mails and concerns quickly, I give them regular studying advice, and I make sure my office door is always open to them. In class, meanwhile, I depend heavily on the use of group workshops that allow the students to learn from one another, analyzing primary sources and doing creative exercises that get them thinking about history. I use a round-robin approach to teamwork as well, ensuring that each student gets a chance to act in a leadership role. By utilizing a variation between lecture and educational videos, I am able to provide important historical context for the documents that the students are learning from. Lastly, I also depend on the students to write traditional papers analyzing a longer primary source on their own.
I expect that students get a number of things from my classes. First of all, they get the opportunity to improve their writing skills. I take great pride in teaching them how to properly structure essays and create defensible thesis statements. Secondly, I believe they sharpen their critical thinking skills by learning to analyze primary sources. Understanding how to look at these sources, interpret their biases and intended audiences, and evaluate the context in which they are written, are all skills that will serve them well past their time in my classroom. Students in my classroom also become more open to new ideas, becoming informed about the social issues of today and how they are connected to the past. Finally, I believe that my classes provide an open learning environment where they can succeed and see themselves as real scholars. My intent is to foster in my students a love of learning that will last them a lifetime, and help them achieve their goals no matter what kind of obstacles they might be facing.
I strongly believe in taking a one-on-one approach with my students. I know that this is frequently impossible, given the size of classes, but I endeavor to make some kind of connection with each of my students and let them know I am there if they need me. I respond to their e-mails and concerns quickly, I give them regular studying advice, and I make sure my office door is always open to them. In class, meanwhile, I depend heavily on the use of group workshops that allow the students to learn from one another, analyzing primary sources and doing creative exercises that get them thinking about history. I use a round-robin approach to teamwork as well, ensuring that each student gets a chance to act in a leadership role. By utilizing a variation between lecture and educational videos, I am able to provide important historical context for the documents that the students are learning from. Lastly, I also depend on the students to write traditional papers analyzing a longer primary source on their own.
I expect that students get a number of things from my classes. First of all, they get the opportunity to improve their writing skills. I take great pride in teaching them how to properly structure essays and create defensible thesis statements. Secondly, I believe they sharpen their critical thinking skills by learning to analyze primary sources. Understanding how to look at these sources, interpret their biases and intended audiences, and evaluate the context in which they are written, are all skills that will serve them well past their time in my classroom. Students in my classroom also become more open to new ideas, becoming informed about the social issues of today and how they are connected to the past. Finally, I believe that my classes provide an open learning environment where they can succeed and see themselves as real scholars. My intent is to foster in my students a love of learning that will last them a lifetime, and help them achieve their goals no matter what kind of obstacles they might be facing.