Ask any group of faculty whether they include critical thinking on their course learning objectives, and nearly every person will say that they do. This is not just because faculty were handed down a mandate or made to hew to some university policy. My many
Recently, a student sent me a political news article with the comment “Things are falling apart.” I didn’t reply right away, because I sensed they were looking for reassurance—and deep down, I felt that no matter what I said, they wouldn’t believe me. It’s hard
I’ve taught a course in statistics for psychological research for almost 40 years. No student becomes a psych major because they get to take statistics, but it is a commonly required course for the major because it is fundamental to understanding and conducting research. Taking
On a recent walk across campus, I ran into a student who had taken my class last year. She is Latina and a first-generation student who I remembered being politically outspoken in class and a fierce advocate for immigrant rights. I asked how she was
In teaching, unaddressed countertransference has profound implications for educators and students alike. Consider the story of my past student who experienced heart-wrenching life circumstances during the semester: He lost both parents and became the primary caregiver for his younger siblings. Naturally, his GPA fell significantly
Just ahead of the spring semester’s start, I received an email from a colleague who had been on a yearlong sabbatical, and the subject read, “Returning, somewhat trembling, to that brave new world.” The body of the email went on to acknowledge the growth of
It seems like the most basic of course tasks: reading the syllabus. Yet, so often, student don’t do it. If you’re as tired as I am of responding to emails that could be easily answered by consulting the syllabus, you know we need some fresh
During my third year of college, another student that many of my friends interacted with, who tutored some of us, died. While I wouldn’t call him a close friend, he was an acquaintance, and his loss was felt deeply. I remember wanting to cry, but
One of the courses I am teaching this semester is a senior-level course titled Autonomic Nervous System Regulation. In this class, we examine the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is the part of our nervous system that governs involuntary physiological processes, such as our heart
Lately, social media videos have been flooded with discourse and arguments as to what constitutes a man and a woman and whether biology dictates gender. Many are being recorded on college campuses and in community forums. It is unclear which came first, but in 2023,
