School name: Morningside University

Type of school: Private liberal arts institution

School locale: Sioux City, IA, USA

Is your role mostly in-person, hybrid, online (synchronous or asynchronous)? In-person

For how many years have you taught psychology? 16 years

What classes do you teach? Cognitive Psychology, Research Methods, General Psychology, Forensic and Legal Psychology, Brain and Behavior

Specialization: Cognitive

What size classes do you teach? 16-40 students

What is a book, article, research, or author/researcher that you would recommend that new teachers check out? What Inclusive Instructors Do by Tracie Marcella Addy, Derek Dube, Khadijah Mitchell, and Mallory SoRelle

What do you know now about teaching that you wish you knew when you were starting? If you are having fun while teaching, your students are more likely to have fun while learning. If any one class period feels a bit boring, change it up!

Briefly tell us about your favorite lecture topic or course to teach.  I love teaching my students in General Psychology and Cognitive Psychology about the science behind learning and giving them tips for studying for exams.

Briefly describe a favorite assignment or in-class activity.  When I teach Forensic and Legal Psychology, we do a lie detector demonstration. Four students steal an item from my bag, and we measure their heart rate, respiration, and galvanic skin response as they respond to questions. Then we examine their data and try to figure out which item they stole.

What are three words that best describe your teaching style?  Curiosity, authenticity, and engagement.

What’s your workspace like?  I, sadly, don’t have a window in my office, so my walls are covered in colorful artwork from my kids. I also keep thank you notes from my students out to remind myself why I work so hard. 

What is something you are currently focused on improving or changing in your teaching? Next year, I will be teaching a new psychology communication class focused on improving students’ written and oral communication skills. Although I have plenty of experience teaching APA-style writing, teaching students how to present research will be a new and exciting challenge for me.

What are you currently reading for pleasure? Most of my free time is spent reading for fun. I especially love reading fantasy. I recently read Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, and I recommend it to anyone in academia.