How I Approach Teaching

I believe that the lecture remains one of the most powerful tools for communicating knowledge. A well-crafted lecture allows an instructor to synthesize complex ideas, trace intellectual lineages, and model expert thinking in ways that students might struggle to discover on their own. By guiding learners through a structured, coherent narrative, a lecture can create clarity and momentum, sparking curiosity while ensuring that foundational knowledge is presented accurately and efficiently. The lecture hall is also a space where students can witness passion and intellectual rigor in real time — an opportunity to observe not just what scholars know, but how they think.

While I recognize the appeal of “student-centered” learning approaches, I am cautious of pedagogies that overly decentralize the classroom. Too much emphasis on group work or self-discovery risks leaving students without the necessary scaffolding to interpret what they encounter. Many students enter a course without the background or confidence to teach themselves complex material, and asking them to do so can create confusion rather than empowerment. My goal is to provide a strong intellectual framework through lecture, then invite students to engage critically with that framework through discussion, writing, and application — ensuring that their learning is built on a foundation of clarity, not guesswork.