Teacher Chase joins us as an experienced and passionate teacher. He teaches Public Speaking, A3000, and other courses and has a special passion for teaching writing.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
I became a teacher because of my lifelong curiosity about the world and my love for learning. Since childhood, I have always asked ‘why’ and ‘how’, even when answers were elusive. As a teacher, I aim to promote a similar curiosity with my students. Asking questions is vital to the knowledge-building process.
Moreover, I appreciate the optimism and inexorable feeling of progress that only an academic environment can bring. They say if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life – for me, my passion is cultivating the minds of tomorrow. I believe that teachers have the capacity to promote positive future change by helping each and every student be successful.
What are the standout moments in your career?
One career highlight was representing the United States (U.S.) abroad as an English Language Fellow in Hungary and Poland. The English Language Fellowship, a program sponsored by Georgetown University and the U.S. Department of State, provided me with so many unique opportunities, such as working with highly motivated and ambitious students, giving lectures at conferences across central Europe, and meeting U.S. ambassadors, U.S. diplomats, and even U.S. President Joe Biden.
Another great honor was being admitted to the Doctoral Studies Program in Education at the University of Virginia (UVA). This is one of the best education programs in the U.S., and it’s been an incredibly enriching experience working with my peers and esteemed professors at UVA. My research in curriculum and instruction has immeasurably strengthened my abilities as a teacher.
How do your interests outside of the classroom influence your approach to teaching?
In my free time, I am constantly reading and being active. In my opinion, these are symbiotic activities that are essential for the development and maintenance of a scholarly mind. I encourage my students to also pursue a healthy balanced lifestyle for their academic, social, and emotional well-being.
Furthermore, I am passionate about global travel – I have lived in many different countries and have explored the intricacies of the diverse languages and cultures there. Hence, I aim to bring a global perspective to my classroom that is characterized by tolerance and open-mindedness.
What is the most surprising lesson you’ve learned from your students?
Early in my career, I learned that students, no matter their age, also have much to teach. Therefore, in my opinion, one of the most essential characteristics of a teacher is the ability to actively listen to one’s students and encourage them to share their ideas. By promoting classroom dialogue, teachers can build a positive, supportive learning community where students feel comfortable taking risks – I firmly believe that a mistake can be just as valuable as a success if one learns from it. As a teacher, I have witnessed firsthand how the exchange of ideas enriches a classroom, both by building the knowledge and emotional intelligence of students.
What do you hope students will remember most about you and your classes?
Generally, my classes at Logic Bird focus on writing. I consider writing to be a tool for thinking, so therefore, I fundamentally hope for my students to leave my classroom as better thinkers. I believe in problem-based learning where students work with authentic issues and collaborate to propose realistic solutions. As a result, I hope that my students gain useful practice in considering the issues of today, including how to potentially solve them through lateral thinking and a can-do mindset.
Last, I hope that my students graduate from my class with a heightened love of learning. It is undeniable that every topic is interconnected, and this web of knowledge is essential for truly understanding the world around us. Therefore, I hope my students understand that no topic is actually ‘boring’, no matter how dry it may seem at first. That’s because each topic can help us better understand the things that we are deeply passionate about. With that being said, I hope my students can find interest in any and all subjects.