Kevin Cokley, Ph.D.
Professor of Educational Psychology and African and African Diaspora Studies and Director of the Institute for Urban Policy Research and Analysis
Department of Educational Psychology and Department of African and African Diaspora Studies
UT Austin
I believe that teaching is more of an art than a science.
For example, passion about one’s discipline cannot be taught. If a student senses that a professor is not genuinely excited and passionate about a topic, how can the professor expect the student to be excited? I want each of my classes to be an unforgettable, dynamic experience; one where students tell their friends and family what they are learning. Perhaps the greatest skill that I teach students is the ability to be self-reflective, critical social scientists. I do this by constantly exposing the most sacrosanct ideas to stringent critique because there are no “sacred cows” in my classes.
