My broad goal when teaching is to help students develop the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills that they need to be both strong students of political science and conscientious, capable citizens. In my approach to teaching political science, I emphasize the importance of interpreting and assessing the actions of political elites, being a smart and thoughtful consumer of political media, and recognizing and respecting how the experiences of other individuals may shape their behavior. In the classroom, I have accomplished this goal primarily in discussion-based classes in which students engage with the course materials and texts and with each other’s analyses of the material. These discussions also allow students to hear others’ experiences and directly engage with a variety of perspectives on sometimes difficult or nuanced topics, and the act of discussing these topics and issues in a context that encourages thoughtful and rigorous academic analysis is also helpful in honing their skills as democratic citizens.
Courses taught
As lecturer:
- Political Science 270: Understanding Political Numbers (spring 2021)
As teaching assistant:
- Political Science 305: Elections and Voting Behavior (fall 2020 and fall 2018)
- Political Science 311: United States Congress (spring 2018)
- Political Science 104: Introduction to American National Government (fall 2016, summer 2017 [online], and fall 2017)
Rochelle M. Snyder 