Know Your Profs is an ongoing series of profiles on the instructors at Camosun College. Every issue we ask a different instructor at Camosun the same 10 questions in an attempt to get to know them a little better.
Do you have an instructor who you want to see interviewed in the paper? Maybe you want to know more about one of your teachers, but you’re too busy, or shy, to ask? Email editor@nexusnewspaper.com and we’ll add your instructor to our list of teachers to talk to.
This issue we talked to History instructor Stephen Fielding about male pattern baldness, The Wiggles, and the ghosts of the Young Building.
1. What do you teach and how long have you been at Camosun?
I teach a variety of History courses and also World Religions of the West. I’ve been teaching here since September 2016.
2. What do you personally get out of teaching?
I’m a historian by trade (or maybe habit). My wife is from Italy and I love the word Italians use for history. It’s la storia, or, literally, “the story.” For me, it’s a reminder that history needs to be a captivating narrative. Teaching is most rewarding to me when students are caught up in stories about our past and the classroom becomes a lively and accessible space where learning is enjoyable.
3. What’s one thing you wish your students knew about you?
As a young adult, I fell 16 feet from a zipline and broke my back. Paramedics carried me away on a board. I spent two and half years in bed rest and surgery, addicted to fentanyl and OxyContin for the pain. Having lived through this awful time and still experiencing residual pain, I am sensitive to the fact that many students have experienced major challenges in life and their achievements at the college are part of their triumph over adversity.
4. What’s one thing you wish they didn’t know about you?
Male pattern baldness.
5. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you as a teacher here?
There’s nothing more rewarding than when a student tells you that they enjoyed the course, they improved their writing and analytical skills, or it sparked in them a greater interest in studying history or religion. This past year, I was also touched by the interest and encouragement of my students when I defended my PhD dissertation.
6. What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you as a teacher here?
Two weeks ago, the fire alarm went off during my HIST 108 midterm exam. Apparently, no one pulled the alarm and there was no fire, so the only plausible explanation is a Young Building ghost. It was quite challenging to arrange for the students to rewrite the exam the following class and still give the students credit for the work they had already done.
7. What do you see in the future of post-secondary education?
I think students are becoming more strategic in their program and course selections. It is probably a response to the competitive job market. I grew up in southern Ontario, where 40 years ago my uncle walked through the doors of an oil refinery holding a high-school diploma and was hired on the spot. A generation later, someone needed a bachelor’s degree. And today it’s a very different story. I think students are trying to match the skills, knowledge, and experience they gain in post-secondary education to the fast-changing job market. As an instructor of History and Religion, my hope is that students remember to take courses that will expand their understanding of the world, its people, and themselves. These might end up being their most memorable post-secondary experiences.
8. What do you do to relax on the weekends?
That’s a funny question! My wife and I have two wonderful kids: a seven-year-old and a two-year-old. For some reason, they’re not very concerned about their parents’ need for relaxation. Weekends are for picnics, wagon rides, art, soccer, and an episode or two of The Wiggles.
9. What is your favourite meal?
Gluten makes me quite sick but I love Italian food. The pasta options are improving, but for now it’s mostly risotto and polenta.
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve?
It’s so petty, but since you asked… When I’m at the grocery checkout and the cashier says “perrrfect” to acknowledge everything the customer does. I don’t need to be praised for punching in a four-digit PIN number. At least mix things up with some high-fives and fist-bumps.