Teaching
Throughout Adnan’s academic career, he has relied on the support of his teachers and mentors to succeed. It was their encouragement that pushed him to pursue a graduate education and eventually complete a PhD. As a teacher and mentor, Adnan aims to replicate what his teachers did for him; to bring out the very best in each student. This means providing them an excellent liberal arts education that equips them to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and engaged citizens.
As an immigrant and a person of color, Adnan values and relates to the necessity of teaching to a diverse audience. He is committed to exposing his students to a variety of ideas and concepts. He acknowledges the diverse background and identities of his students. They all have unique needs and ambitions. Adnan takes that into account when he teaches and guides them as a mentor. He sees a great opportunity for learning in diverse settings, especially in class discussions. Adnan believes his job as a teacher is to put the facts on the table and then curate the discussion in a positive manner that allows students to voice their opinions freely. His mantra is that respectful disagreement is part of life as long as there is factual basis for it.
Adnan firmly believes that without being passionate about what he is teaching, he cannot be a good teacher. It is impossible to expect students to be engaged in classes if the teacher simply walk in, read off slides, and only lecture every class. That is why Adnan spends time crafting lecture content and class activities that are both interactive and discussion oriented. Sudents respond positively to a passionate teacher who wishes to share his knowledge. Adnan’s students in his global issues class acknowledged this in his evaluations by making comments like “Great professor, relates all ‘dry’ material to current issues. Gives both sides to every point.” & “Professor Rasool was very nice and understanding with the students. I didn’t have any interests in international politics but now I somewhat enjoy politics. I also learned a lot of things in this class that could help me in the future”.