TEACHING GOALS

I am in my heart of hearts a theorist.  So, it is no surprise that in all of my courses my primary goal is to encourage the development of analytical thinking.  I am more interested in talking about concepts and ideas than empirical data.  As a former Math major I do value empirical knowledge and certainly use statistics where relevant, but empirical knowledge is only part of the learning process.  In recent years I have moved away from tests toward more frequent assignments that require students to do the reading as we go along.

In Women's Lives I use a good text that grounds the students in both the empirical and conceptual knowledge needed to understand the position of women in our society.  Students are required to read and respond to one chapter in this text almost every week. We can then come into the classroom and have an informed conversation about those issues that students wish to discuss.  For example, how might we combine work and family? Or, what are the complex factors that shape women's career choices?  Or, what theories best explain how women are portrayed in the media? Or, how might we create a positive response to our body image? Besides the chapter responses, students do a content analysis of some form of the media. The point of this assignment, for me, is to have students experience the process of generating some knowledge. The final assignment is also about generating knowledge, in this case about an issue or topic that the student wants to explore.  I prefer a global perspective, but encourage students to choose what interests them. During the last week of classes students will informally share what they learned with each other. 

In my Sociological Theory course I am most interested in engaging students in a learning process that develops their ability to make a sound internally consistent logical argument:  to learn to think theoretically.  Since theory can be difficult for students to understand because it is abstract, I have students apply each theory we cover to a sociological issue.  Students work in small groups and help each other apply some aspect of a theory to the issue that interests them.  Students engage in a semester long learning process that will allow them to develop specific skills:  the ability to read theory and to make clear theoretical analyses.  I also work with students in this class to develop better writing skills.

In Race, Class and Gender(soon to become R, C, G and Sexualities) we focus on a conceptual understanding of oppression and privilege.  Much of what we do in this class centers around the idea that different forms of oppression intersect or interact with each other.  We ask questions such as how have race, class and gender shaped the way the media have responded to John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama in this campaign? What can we learn from this campaign about how these three forms of oppression operate in our society?.  We try to identify and understand the unique combination of oppression and privilege individuals experience through a combination of case studies and novels.  This class tends to attract a very diverse group of students and we have lively discussions.  I often joke that I never know what might come up in this class during any given class period. The assignments in this class are mostly reading novels and analyzing the ways in which race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect in the lives of the characters.  I use a text that provides a good conceptual background and has many case studies to help students begin this analysis.

In Feminist Theory I am interested in helping students develop a more advanced knowledge of theory and more advanced theoretical skills.  The course is focused on theories related to women's empowerment.  This focus is interesting for students, but it also provides a concrete connection for abstract ideas.  Students read a series of books and articles and we tend to have good discussions.  I am hoping to find a way to have the students engage in some action or activity as part of this course.  In the final paper students are asked to use what they have learned to create an analysis of how women can be empowered, both as individuals and as a group. Male students are encouraged to develop an analysis for how to truly empower men.

I am about to develop a new course:  Ecofeminism.  I have wanted to begin to teach a course with some connection to my environmental concerns. I intend to focus on the connections between ecofeminism, globalizaton, and militarization.  Also, in this course I will do something I have wanted to do for a long time:  combine theory and social action or change.  We will examine ecofeminist theory and also read about various examples of ecofeminist organizations and actions.  I intend to have students engage in some action or organization as part of this course.