What do you hope students take away from your class?
The majority of my students are not psychology majors, and so my hope for them really lies in a few goals. First, I want them to learn the breadth of what psychology has to offer and counter the myth that “psychologist equals therapist.” Second, I want them to develop curiosity about the mind, the body, behavior, and how the three interact. I want them to stand in awe of the complexity of that simple statement, but also be unafraid to take on the tough questions that need answers. And finally, I want them to develop their critical thinking skills. Most of them will forget most of the content I teach them; however, if I can help them develop their critical thinking and metacognitive skills, that is enough for me.
What is your favorite class or lesson to teach?
As I’ve told others in the past, even after decades of teaching, I still really love teaching our Introduction to Psychology course. This is where you get the students as unmolded clay, and really have a chance to connect with them. The charge for me is reaching a student who was convinced that they did not want to take a psychology course and fostering enough interest in them that they might choose to take another in the future.
What is the most memorable moment in your teaching career?
This really is an unfair question, because there are so many. One would be the student who cried upon getting a D after working her tail off for it, being sure she was going to fail, and coming to see me every week for tutoring. I had so much respect for her. A student who gets an A without trying is great. But this woman learned something much more important than psychology. She learned about herself. Another wonderful moment for me was receiving the Wayne Weiten award this past October in Pittsburgh in front of my wife and so many cherished colleagues and friends. Humbling does not even begin to describe that feeling. A third I’ll mention is the student who wrote to me 10 years after taking my Intro class to let me know he was nearly finished with his PhD in archeology and that he wanted to thank me for starting him down the road of thinking like a scientist. That was really gratifying. Those are three good ones, and there are really so many more.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I learned during the pandemic that what I enjoy most is being in the classroom. I teach through Zoom, and it is fine. But it pales in comparison to standing in a room with students, interacting with them, getting to know them, having some laughs (and sometimes a few tears) with them, and having a real human experience. This, as much as anything, is really what lights me up semester after semester. It is why teaching just doesn’t get old to me, even when it is the same class over and over again.
Is there a teacher or colleague who especially inspired you?
Honestly far too many to try to name. To identify one or two would really do a disservice to the scores of people on whose shoulders I have stood for many years. And while they lift me up, it is my hope that I’ve done the same for others. So rather than identifying one or two people, I’ll say this. If you are reading this, and you wonder if I would have included you in my list... the answer is probably yes.
What advice would you give to newer and/or veteran teachers of psychology?
I would not presume to give advice to veteran teachers, but for the newer crop of psychology instructors, my best advice is this: You are the teacher of record in a high school, college, or university class because you have earned the right to be. You must go into that classroom with the confidence that you are supposed to be the instructor. One of the worst things you can try to do is “prove” yourself to the students. That is a trap that will create difficulties that are hard to resolve. Some students won’t like you. That’s okay. They’re not there to like you. They’re there to learn from you. So have confidence that you know what you’re doing, ask senior colleagues for help without hesitation, and never stop polishing your craft.
A second point would be to remain aware of your biases, and to the extent possible, never stop looking for evidence of your own implicit biases and how they impact your teaching and your interaction with students. We all need to do the work on an ongoing basis to make sure that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem when it comes to biases, prejudice, and discrimination in the classroom.
What does it mean to you to receive the Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award?
It was a tremendous honor to be selected for the award, and I am very grateful to the committee for giving me this opportunity. It means that for all of the years and effort I’ve put in, perhaps I’ve managed to achieve something. And while it feels uncomfortable to say that – arrogant, almost – I think it is important that we all take time to be confident in our achievements, be unafraid to let others know them and celebrate them with us and use them as motivation to do even more. So, winning the Weiten Award affirms for me that my career has been well-spent, but also reminds me that there is much more to do in the decades before I retire.
