COURSES TAUGHT AT STC:

• History 1301: U.S. History from Pre-Columbian Times to the Civil War
• History 1302: U.S. Hisotry from 1865 to the Present

COURSES TAUGHT ELSEWHERE:

 

• Reynaldo G. Garza Law School: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Commercial Paper, Corporations, Estate Planning, Legal Research & Writing.
   
• National Institute of Technology: Introduction to Law.
   
• High School: U.S. History- 1865 to Present, Mock Trial, and Debate.

TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND/OR ASSIGNMENTS:

My method of teaching history has the students view events through the paradigm of several larger themes of human history. Capitalism (especially the effects of private property and corporations), manifest destiny, social Darwinism, socialism, monetarism, communism, and imperialism all combine at different times to drive American historical events. By focusing on these major trends the student can develop a coordinated understanding of the actual events in American history which will be easier to internalize and thus use throughout their later life when discussing politics, choosing social ties, or grasping the meaning of grander events which may only tangentially affect the student directly.

It is important that all students in my class have the ability and desire to read, write, and understand the English language. It is also important that they have the desire to analyze, think, and explain their position critically and objectively. The classroom lectures, group participation, and (when assigned) written papers are all geared toward creating a mind that can take facts, opinion, policies, and larger parameters (themes) and integrate all of these into a cohesive form of their own understanding. While there is truly no right or wrong answer in history, the students' answers must be supported by facts and these come from primarily English-language written sources.

Above all else, my history classes will have an atmosphere of inclusiveness and participation. Sleeping students are usually awakened by me to find themselves chosen to participate in the discussion as Mr. Jefferson, Sojourner Truth, Crazy Horse, or some other historically important figure and then to explain that character's decisions, actions, or writings through a historical perspective. Of particular importance is guidance from me to ensure that present day bias, assumptions, and values do not unduly influence the student's interpretation of historical events.

Expect a 15-20 page paper with this deep personal integration to be a focal project in the course I teach. Your own, well developed interpretation of history will prevail here.

HOW TO REACH ME:

E-mail Address: bbmorris@southexascollege.edu