Eric O’Connor
M.A. History, State University of New York at Buffalo
Ph.D. History, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Teaching Philosophy
Important Skills I Want to Teach my Students
Day to day, I teach the basic skills of the humanities and social sciences—critical thinking, analyzing cause and effect, and argumentative writing. These are the essential skills of a well-educated citizen in a democracy and the tools to forge a successful career in any field. But above all, I teach historical empathy—to put oneself in another place at another time, which I believe is good for one’s intellectual and moral development.
Teaching Methods to Reach These Goals
I tell stories that set up dilemmas and paradoxes with no easy solution. Students read multiple viewpoints of a topic. Material from each class connects to each other in a narrative that helps students understand how everything is related. I often create worksheets or activities out of current events that connect historical material to modern-day issues.
My Favorite Projects
The Tournament of Greatness, which is an activity that explores notions of leadership in history and hones students’ research and argumentative skills.
What I Like Best About Teaching at Seven Hills
A lively student body, a wise faculty, and a supportive administration.