Why do you love teaching psychology?
It's fun, and I love watching the "Ah-ha" moments as students discover things to which they can relate, or things that can make their lives better.
Is there anything you don't like or wish you could change?
Honestly? Dealing with administrators. Otherwise, grading in general — I think it takes something away from the joy of learning.
What does it mean to be recognized as a STP Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award recipient?
It's a very humbling thing, and a massive honor to be recognized among others that I've always looked up to as role models.
Do you have any words of advice for beginning psychology teachers?
Have fun. Nothing else matters as much. If you love what you're doing, that will keep it fresh, and it will be contagious for your students.
What else can you tell readers about yourself and about teaching psychology?
I’ve worked closely with the folks at the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP; APA Div. 2) who give a lot of their time to promote our field and help other psychology instructors. We have a mentorship program which will soon be open to high school teachers. It is a great resource for people who are new to teaching psychology at various levels of education. I’ve helped to put that mentorship program together and I worked on some of the resources on the STP website. I want other psychology teachers to know there are a ton of resources available. My own website has plenty of resources that anyone is welcome to use.
