Q & A

On the intro survey I use on the first day of class, the last item asks students to write a question they want me to answer about myself. Here are the questions and my answers from my students this semester:

• How can you teach us?

I have been teaching English for 15 years, so I have a wide variety of methods and strategies to help you learn English as well as possible. I understand that students have different learning styles and different strengths and weakness, all of which I need to be aware of in my teaching.

• How do you see your relationship with students?

I want to have a respectful, friendly, and happy relationship with students. Because I am responsible for presenting the content of the course, organizing the class, and grading student progress, it cannot be a true friend relationship. All the same, we should work together for student success.

• Do you think our English will improve a lot in one year?

Yes, it can—a lot depends on the effort and motivation of the individual student!

• Do you like your job and your students?

Yes, I love teaching and enjoy working with you all very much.

• Are you happy at Koç University?

Yes, I am very happy for the opportunity to work at Koç.

• What makes you angry in class or outside?

I work very hard to avoid getting angry in class, but it is upsetting when students refuse to take responsibility for their own learning. Outside of the classroom, I get angry with the violence and hate in the world.

• Why do you prefer us to call you by your first name?

Good question! I do not have an doctorate degree, so I cannot be called “Professor.” Some teachers want to emphasize the social distance between themselves and their students, so they prefer a title like Mr. or Ms. I prefer to lessen that social distance in a way to help new university students feel they have entered the adult world.

• Why did you choose Turkey to work?

A loooooooong time ago, when I was an undergraduate, one of my first roommates was a young woman from Turkey. Later, my husband and I visited Turkey, and now, my husband is conducting research on Turkish history for his doctorate degree.

• Why are you working at Koç University?

I applied to work at Koç University because it has an excellent reputation as an English medium university and it has a strong English preparation program.

• How old are you?

I graduated from high school in 1989. Do the math J

• Where are you from?

I was born in Mount Pleasant, Michigan in the United States.

• Do you miss your family or is your family in Turkey?

I do miss my family. I hope that my sister and her husband will come visit in January though!

• From which university did you graduate?

My B.A. is in Studio Art / Art History from Oberlin College in Ohio, and my M.A. is in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

• What is your favorite color?

I especially like mixes of blue and green.

• What are your hobbies?

I like to read, draw, knit, see movies, and play word games.

• Do you have a child?

No, I have a husband and a cat.

• Do you speak French?

Oui, je parle un peu de français. Mais ça fait longtemps que j’ai l’habitude de utiliser français.

• Is your main language English?

Yes. I have studied French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish.

• Do you like to live in Istanbul? Are you happy in Turkey?

I feel very lucky to have the chance to live in Istanbul. It is one of my favorite cities in the world. In general, I am happy living in Turkey. Of course, it can be very confusing and frustrating when you are learning a new language and culture, right?

• How many years have you been here?

I have visited Turkey a few times in the summer. This time, I have been here for one full year.

• Where do you want to work in the future? What is your dream?

After Koç University, I would like to work with immigrant and refugee populations in the United States.