Anthropology does not lend itself well to unilateral explanations and is best illustrated through a multitude of perspectives and diverse media.  In all my teaching endeavors, I try to create a learning environment where students not only increase their practical knowledge and problem-solving skills but also feel empowered to take control of their own learning rather than simply memorizing facts.  It has been my experience that students appreciate a classroom in which their opinions are valued and in which they are encouraged through feedback and reinforcement to practice their newfound skills and information.

I view my teaching primarily as a way to empower students to take charge of their learning, by providing them with tangible examples of anthropological concepts and by putting them in a position to teach others.  Even if my students are never called upon to identify a skeletonized body, excavate an ancient city, or record a disappearing culture, the skills that they gained in visualizing human anatomy, mapping a local cemetery, and engaging in participant-observation will stay with them longer than mere facts.  Practicing anthropology in the classroom leads to practicing anthropology in daily life.

If you’re a current or prospective UWF student interested in classical archaeology, osteology, isotope analysis, 3D printing, ancient migration, diet, and/or palaeopathology, let me know.  I am actively recruiting graduate students for our MA program, in which we have a bioarchaeology specialty, so please check out UWF’s MA program.

Courses Taught:

Graduate Level