Teaching

I have a passion for teaching. I think deeply and often about how I can become a better--which is to say, more effective and compassionate--teacher.

For me, teaching and learning can happen in many different ways and places—whether in the lecture hall explaining the ring-structure that informs and animates  Beowulf; facilitating in-class group “capers” designed to help college students become more competent and confident in their critical thinking and expository writing; consulting with administrators on how to implement curricular changes; training docents to lead tours of memorials or temporary exhibits; drilling fencers on how to turn a defensive action into an offensive one; or demonstrating the proper way to remove a hook from a fish so it can be revived and released back into the wild.
At Sewanee I specialize in pre-modern and 19th century literature, mindful of the perennial tug of cultural memory, symbolic forms, and "the history of ideas."

I also sponsor many independent reading courses and tutorials for students who want to pursue their interests beyond regular classroom instruction. Most memorable have been courses on early modern mercantilism,  Nietzsche’s aphoristic style, Byron’s longer works, applied dramaturgy, and historical linguistics.

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Below are some links concerning those aspects of formal classroom instruction that highlight my general approach to learning, effective teaching, and a detailed analysis of how specific learning goals and instructional objectives can be realized and assessed. (The CAPER STAR link will also make available an article I have written for an educational journal.)



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