Oct. 16, 2007 issue
More than anything else, I teach at EMU because of the students. I like
to think of students as partners in the classroom. Since it is impossible
to truly see the world from another person's point of view, I attempt
to open at least a little space for students to volunteer their own ideas
and introduce their own perspectives about the subjects that I am teaching.
Ideally, I hope to guide my students to a point where they can teach
themselves — to determine, without any assistance or prompting
from an instructor, what subjects they believe are most
important to investigate more deeply. I, thus, seek to
sharpen the research and writing skills that students will
need to answer their own questions, as well as the critical
thinking skills necessary to shape independent judgments.
I teach students from diverse majors and backgrounds in my introductory
classes, as well as non-traditional students — returning
students, full-time workers or even parents — in my night
classes. It's really nice to have a wide range of students
— an apt sounding board in evoking different points of
view — when interpreting literature,.
The majority of my students become teachers themselves. Teaching teachers
is the most amazing and rewarding experience of all. These students ask
fascinating questions because they, too, are thinking about what it means
to learn. In teaching just one, it's almost as if I teach an infinity
of students.
I also appreciate the opportunity to develop unique and interesting courses.
Along with introductory literature courses, and graduate
and undergraduate courses on 18th-century literature (my
primary specialty), I've taught courses on the literature
of cruelty, the global novel ("Globalization,
Contact Zones and Cultures Plural"), and the gothic novel, the focus
of my dissertation.
In addition to teaching and research, I undertake a lot of service for
the University. For example, I am a member of the Security
Advisory Committee, which works to promote a safer campus
for staff, students, and faculty. I also serve on the Executive Committee
of the EMU chapter of the American Association of University Professors,
doing my part to protect the working conditions of my colleagues.
