Teaching Approach

Learning should be challenging enough to provide satisfaction and enjoyable enough for the student to cultivate a love of learning. While there will be demands made upon you in all of my courses that will make them worthwhile for any student interested in the subjects addressed, I want you to enjoy the process. There will be a good deal of writing through assignments, research papers, essay examinations and, of course, productive class discussion is expected. All of the assignments are geared to engage your creativity and intellectual curiosity.

Essay questions are designed to both ensure that you have factual knowledge and understanding of the course subject matter, but also to ensure that you have the opportunity to develop your own thoughts, arguments and perspective. Also, identification of concept questions usually appear on exams. These also ensure that you have a factual understanding and grasping the vocabulary of the political science necessary to dialog at higher levels. There will be no "busy work". Everything has a purpose -to educate you in the most engaging and efficient manner possible.

It is absolutely necessary that you all have a factual understanding of the concepts and situations presented prior to engaging in the more creative opinion and discussion questions. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you complete the weekly readings and assignments. The syllabus should serve as your guide to the sequence of topics covered in the course.

Your independent thoughts will be greatly valued. I encourage you to be provocative in your responses to questions. However, in class discussion, there is an expectation of mannerly conduct, despite the level of challenges and differing opinions. Courses are not designed for you to parrot back standard historical interpretation or recitation of factual events or even my point of view. You are encouraged to give your opinions. Only in that way will I be able to discern whether or not you have not only processed the information presented and that you have devoted some creative energy to understanding the information. As long as your opinion can be grounded upon solid foundation and is presented in a tone respectful to your classmates, engage at your most provocative level.

Teaching Objectives:

My courses are designed for your education not your vocation. It is important in the real sense since it will help you become an "educated" person. The information, perspectives and tools of exploration presented in all courses are vital for understanding your government, international relations, and the world we live in.

Students are expected to gain the ability to understand, critique, access, apply and understand the implications of the different theories, methodologies, and perspectives on the subject matter in each of my courses. The goal is not simply teach tolerance for different perspectives but to equip students with the ability to evaluate the range of perspectives.

Another goal is to get students to take responsibility for and ownership of their ideas and opinions. That can not be achieved until they become critical and honest thinkers who not only evaluate all aspects of the points of view and opinions of others, but also their own.