Effective teachers challenge ways of thinking, make clear learning objectives, create an interactive atmosphere open to questioning and discussion, and involve students in current and real world issues. Teaching requires patience, practice, and willingness to learn and improve. I ask my students to exceed their own expectations and in turn I try to exceed theirs.
I currently teach in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University. I offer FOR 304 Theory of Silviculture and FOR 472 Forest Soils in the Spring semester.
In the past I have taught courses in Fertilizers and Soil Fertility (lecture) and Soil Fertility Evaluation (laboratory), Soil Management, and Current Topics in Soils and Agronomy. I value experiential learning and make a practice of taking students on field trips to reinforce real world learning. We have visited reclaimed coal mines, soil pits for classification, and soil conservation field research sites.
My overall teaching goal is to effectively communicate basic knowledge while developing skills in students such as communication and teamwork. My desire is to foster scholarship through an active learning environment. Sharing enjoyment of the material opens the door for student interest.