Statement of Educational Philosophy

* I have recently received several requests from educators and historians asking to see my Statement of Educational Philosophy, so I have decided to post it on here. Since my pedagogy is continuously evolving, my statement frequently changes. *

History is magnificently unique in that it is a very interdisciplinary subject, useful in many different contexts. By the time a student leaves my classroom, I expect that they will be able to take with them the fundamentals of writing, presenting, researching, and analyzing historical texts. They can then apply those skills to future problems in whatever degree and career they choose to pursue. In my classroom, students will be able to nicely fit in the shoes of a historian. They will be able to digest material on the history of the United States and the world, and receive the tools to become knowledgeable citizens who want to change the world. I also expect that my students will be curious and engaged learners, and not be afraid to ask stimulating questions.

My sincere interest in American history stems from my elementary days. Despite a severe speech impediment as a child and several learning disabilities in elementary and middle school, I am incredibly proud of myself for 'sticking it out' and graduating with my history M.A. in 2018.

The foundation of my teaching philosophy is that I care deeply about my students, and see them first as the humans they are, with lives and interests outside of the classroom. I enjoy conversing with my students during passing periods and office hours, and I take immense pleasure at mentoring them and offering graduate school and career advice. I am also known to be a loud and proud spectator at my students’ athletic games and music concerts (pre-Covid… and now, post-Covid since everything is gradually re-opening), earning me the nickname “the crazy professor” by several of my Texas A&M-Commerce colleagues and former students.

Inside my classroom, I always work to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment, starting on day one. I make it a priority to learn every student’s name and say their name whenever I call on them during the semester. Since small-group discussions are common in my lesson plans, students get to know each other (and bounce different ideas off one another). These collaborative approaches help my students and I gain a mutual respect for one another, as well as their peers. Given that a courteous environment is cultivated, I aim for my students to feel more confident asking questions in front of the class. I maintain the mantra there are no stupid questions, and encourage my students to speak up since it is very likely someone else has the same question. Most importantly, I retain the belief that by being an engaged learner, anyone can succeed in my classroom. It does not matter where you come from nor your educational background, you and your questions are always welcome.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stint as a speech and debate instructor at Duke TiP in June-July 2018. I shared my knowledge with a group of talented, high-flying middle-school scholars.

On top of fostering students’ respect for one another in the classroom, I also elicit as much activity from my students as I can during the lectures. I begin each lesson by summarizing what we covered in the previous class (and summarize the material at the end of that lesson too). Furthermore, I ask the students if there are any questions from what was previously taught or if there was a concept that was unclear. This open floor strategy at the start of class ensures we all understand the previous class’s material prior to building on it. I never want a student to dread this subject because “history lectures are long-winded”; history is far more profound and moving than most people realize. Consequently, I believe history is better learned through short stories. My lectures are composed of succinct, compelling anecdotes that chronicle the histories of all Americans, including Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, immigrants and women. Each enthralling story is told in an enthusiastic way and is complemented with a variety of captivating, physical props, such as copies of primary documents, and antique and historical objects (including one of my favorites when I discuss the 1960s, a 1964 campaign doll of Lyndon B. Johnson).

I have found that many of my students are visual learners so I frequently bring historical objects and antiques to class in an effort to 'bring history to life.' I showcase my LBJ bobblehead in this photo.

Visual learners are also given tools to succeed in my classroom. PowerPoint presentations with black-and-white images of important events in American history, as well as colored portraits of historical figures accompany the lectures. Furthermore, I frequently draw battlefield and street maps, as well as statistical diagrams on the white board to provide my students an all-encompassing picture of what happened at that moment in time. Occasionally, I sport a cowboy hat or costume dating from the time period we are talking about in class (including Texas Revolution and Civil War outfits), which further amplifies a student’s ability to envision a character’s appearance from American history. I endorse note-taking in my classes since these scribes are usually the ones who retain the information and perform well on the content quizzes and unit exams. Moreover, I encourage my students to critically think like historians by spending several classes discussing dense scholarly texts that examine different authors’ interpretations of a subject. At the end of the semester, my students engage in an historian’s most distinguished craft: writing. After utilizing technology and a variety of primary and secondary documents at the university’s library, my students are required to create and defend their own thesis in a research paper. Additionally, students polish their oral communication skills by presenting their findings to the class.

I enjoy visiting historical landmarks and 'feeling the ghosts.' I share these stories with my students and encourage them to tour the battlefields, residences, and factories where our great American heroes once worked and lived in. One of my favorite vignettes to share was the time I received a back-stage tour in the Churchill War Rooms in London and got to seat in Winston's chair (the chair's handles were scratched since the PM often dug his fingernails into the wood when he was stressed during the war!).

After outlining how I approach my current classroom and beyond, one thing that I constantly keep in mind is that I am learning too. My pedagogy and instructional methods are continuously evolving. There will always be methods where I can improve what I can do for my students, and I will actively seek these out. One aspect I consistently seek to improve on is student feedback. Currently, I study my assessment tools to see whether my students are effectively retaining the course material and incorporate their feedback every 2-3 weeks in my teaching styles. As I teach more classes and receive more student feedback, I will learn how to better adjust my curriculum and pedagogy for different classroom climates and varying students’ background knowledge. I look forward to the chance to improve my teaching skills and continue helping students learn the tools to become well-informed citizens who are active in their communities.

Updated on July 5, 2021

Although teaching has remained my priority, I still conduct research in my spare time. My research compliments my lesson plans. I recently had my Sallie Capps book published. Capps was a dominant force in North Texas education in the early twentieth century. I stand beside her grave in Fort Worth in this photo (2020).