Teaching

My Teaching Philosophy

At the heart of my teaching is the belief that students learn best through dialogue, curiosity, and creative risk-taking. I design learning experiences that encourage intellectual play, critical inquiry, and iterative exploration—whether students are analyzing a Tolkien epic, experimenting with AI-assisted writing, or building narrative worlds in collaborative projects.

I reject the notion that writing is merely a product to be graded. Instead, I treat it as a dynamic process of discovery. In my courses, students engage with writing not just to meet expectations but to clarify thought, explore identity, and respond meaningfully to the world around them. Technology, especially generative AI, is not a threat to this process—it is a tool that, when used transparently and reflectively, deepens the ways students think, revise, and create.

Above all, I see teaching as a relationship. I strive to build trust, invite vulnerability, and honor each student’s unique voice. Whether I’m co-teaching with Clara, my AI assistant, or staging a discussion around narrative genre, I aim to create a classroom culture that’s rigorous, inclusive, and just a little bit magical.

Courses Taught

English 2243: Science Fiction

Explores classic and contemporary works of science fiction, with a focus on how speculative storytelling challenges assumptions about technology, identity, and the future. Students analyze texts, media, and emerging AI tools to better understand the genre’s evolving role in culture.

English 2244: Fantasy Literature

Examines foundational and modern fantasy texts, from myth-inspired epics to subversive contemporary tales. Students engage with world-building, archetypes, and reader immersion while reflecting on how fantasy offers escape, resistance, and insight into the human experience.

Teaching Methods and Approaches

My teaching centers on interactive, student-driven learning grounded in discussion, creative exploration, and reflective practice. I use a flipped classroom model: students encounter lecture content through video before class, freeing class time for deep engagement with texts, collaborative exercises, and critical dialogue. Every session begins with a short quiz to reinforce reading and spark discussion.

Technology plays a central role in my pedagogy. I use tools like Top Hat and Padlet to facilitate student-led discussion, encourage collective meaning-making, and elevate the best ideas in the room. I also integrate AI into the classroom—not to replace student work, but to expand it. AI assists with brainstorming, drafting, and revision, helping students see writing as iterative, expansive, and worth doing well.

Above all, I emphasize creative risk-taking and intellectual agency. Whether students are role-playing as literary characters, co-creating narrative worlds, or reimagining classic texts, I aim to cultivate curiosity, confidence, and a sense of wonder. My classroom is a space where ideas matter, where structure serves imagination, and where students learn not just to analyze stories—but to tell their own.

Student Engagement

design my courses to actively involve students in the learning process from day one. Every class begins with a quiz—not just for accountability, but to frame the day’s discussion and reward close reading. I use interactive tools like Top Hat to facilitate student-generated questions, peer voting, and real-time dialogue that places students at the center of meaning-making.

I also prioritize creating a classroom culture where students feel seen, heard, and challenged. From playful traditions like appointing a “Heimdall” to monitor the auto-locking HSS 201 classroom door (not my choice), to larger projects that invite students to build and share their own storyworlds, I encourage full participation and ownership of the material. Students engage deeply with texts, each other, and the broader questions that literature helps us ask.

Whether integrating AI to support creative exploration or staging genre debates to deepen analytical thinking, I foster an environment of curiosity, respect, and imaginative risk-taking. My goal is to help students become not only better readers and writers—but more engaged thinkers, collaborators, and creators.

Office Hours

I hold office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10am to 11am. Appointments can be scheduled via reardond@mst.edu.

Professional Development

I view professional development as a lifelong commitment to refining my teaching, expanding my disciplinary expertise, and exploring new educational technologies. I regularly attend conferences and workshops focused on writing pedagogy, AI in education, and innovative curriculum design. I’ve also collaborated with Missouri S&T’s Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) to support initiatives that promote inclusive, evidence-based teaching.

As Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, I advocate for equitable access to professional development opportunities for all faculty—especially contingent and early-career instructors. I believe excellence in teaching should be recognized, supported, and rewarded at every level.

My recent work explores how generative AI can be used ethically and creatively in the classroom. I lead workshops and conversations on this topic with faculty across campus, and I’m developing new frameworks to help instructors use AI as a tool for reflection, iteration, and student engagement.

Resources for Students

Please refer to these resources to supplement your learning:

  1. S&T Writing and Communication Center – Free one-on-one help with writing assignments at any stage, from brainstorming to revision.
  2. Purdue OWL: Online Writing Lab – A comprehensive resource for citation guides, grammar tips, and writing strategies.
  3. Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB) – A searchable index of science fiction and fantasy literature, useful for author research and project inspiration.
  4. Top Hat Student Guide – Instructions and tips for using Top Hat effectively during class sessions.
  5. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction – A rich reference site for genre terms, authors, themes, and history.
  6. World Anvil – A creative platform for world-building where writers, gamers, and storytellers share and build their own fantasy universes. Great inspiration for student storyworld projects.

Contact

Feel free to reach out to me at [Email Address] or during my office hours for any questions or clarifications.