Teaching Philosophy
When teaching humanities survey courses, I believe that the goal should be to provide students with the intellectual tools that they need to make their own decisions about how to live a moral life. These tools are the ability to read sources critically, to historicize key issues in society, and to convey one’s ideas effectively in writing. My teaching provides clear guidance to show students how to read critically and historically so that they are ready to convey evidence-based ideas in writing.
When teaching history courses, I understand the goal to be enabling students to see the present as a product of the past. Classes should give them experience using the intellectual tools of the historian so that they can draw on these tools to make their own historically informed arguments in the public sphere. I teach history as a contingent process that emerges from a combination of structural factors and individual choices. My students practice developing arguments about what these factors and choices are, basing their arguments on evidence from primary sources. Finally, I give them experience articulating and defending their arguments both orally and in writing.
When teaching history courses, I understand the goal to be enabling students to see the present as a product of the past. Classes should give them experience using the intellectual tools of the historian so that they can draw on these tools to make their own historically informed arguments in the public sphere. I teach history as a contingent process that emerges from a combination of structural factors and individual choices. My students practice developing arguments about what these factors and choices are, basing their arguments on evidence from primary sources. Finally, I give them experience articulating and defending their arguments both orally and in writing.
Teaching Experience
Assistant Professor, Bilkent University Program in Cultures, Civilizations and Ideas (September 2021 - present)
- Publish peer-reviewed academic articles regularly in this research-focused position
- Introduce students to key ideas and texts in Western culture through leading 2-3 humanities classes per semester in this Great Books style program
- Taught four sections of "Cultural Encounters," introducing students to key themes in Western literature, philosophy, and history from ancient times to the present
- Presented several lectures per semester for this team-taught course
- Provided online instruction for three semesters through the Moodle learning management system
- Led "Introduction to the Humanities I" classes that surveyed key themes in literature, art, music, history, and philosophy around the world from prehistory to 1400 CE
- Encouraged active learning in larger classes through "Think, pair, share" peer instruction
- Designed an honors component that emphasized primary source reading and argumentative writing
- Taught students from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, including active-duty military service members
- Earned certification in online teaching through the Blackboard platform from the San Diego Community College District
- Taught the summer classes "Spain since 1808: Modernity, Legitimacy and National Identity" and "Fascism, Communism, and the Crisis of Liberal Democracy, Europe 1919-1945"
- Designed classes in a flipped-classroom format that maximized active learning through favoring discussion-based activities over traditional lectures
- Conducted a teaching-as-research project on using role playing games as an instructional tool
- Assisted students in this introductory first- and second-year sequence in understanding broad trends in world history and anthropology from the origins of humanity through the empires of the ancient world to the expanded global connections of the early modern period
- Guided students in the process of crafting their own research papers for the writing-intensive component of the sequence
- Volunteered as an English tutor for under-privileged immigrant middle- and high-school students in Madrid, Spain
- Taught key themes in literature, history, and philosophy from ancient times to the present day in this two-year introductory first- and second-year sequence, with a focus on great books of the Western canon
- Gave students intensive argumentative essay writing instruction
Additional Teaching Interests
- Modern Europe (Especially Germany and comparative fascism)
- Early Modern Europe
- Imperialism (Especially in Africa and the Americas)
- Atlantic World
- Military History (Especially the World Wars)
Pedagogical Training
San Diego Community College District Online Teaching Certification (Fall 2017)
- Practiced preparing online classes on Blackboard through online modules, including preparing quizzes, blogs, discussions, videos and virtual office hours
- Participated in metacognitive reflections on teaching with group meetings and a peer mentor
- Earned a CIRTL Practitioner Certificate by presenting a poster on the teaching-as-research project “Role Playing as a Method for Lending Continuity to Broad History Surveys”
- Became familiar with research-based active teaching and learning methods such as peer instruction and think-pair-share
- Earned a CIRTL Associate Certificate by presenting a lesson plan that incorporated learning outcomes and peer instruction with clickers
- Learned the basics of leading a college-level discussion, including instruction techniques for reading comprehension, argumentative writing, and grammar