Michael A. Zilis
Associate Professor, University of Kentucky
AMERICAN POLITICS | Political Behavior | Law and Courts
Teaching Philosophy
I teach a variety of courses in American politics. I developed my instructional philosophy through my experience as a private tutor, refining and adapting best practices for the classroom. I use multiple instructional techniques to speak to diverse learners and personalize attention to students whenever possible. I emphasize heavily student engagement and utilize both single period and multiple-week simulations in my courses. In 2019, I won the College's Outstanding Teaching Award at the University of Kentucky and was a finalist for the Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Outside of the Classroom
I am committed to student success within and outside of the classroom, having advised students in independent studies or research internships in every semester since my first as an assistant professor. I have also shepherded original research projects that won departmental awards and were presented at local and national conferences as well as collaborated on co-authored projects with students that we presented at professional conferences. One of the primary benefits of one-on-one work is that it allows faculty to work directly with students that may lack the access to resources and opportunities of their peers. I put this into practice by offering opportunities to a diverse group of students – not only those that perform strongly in the classroom but many others that express a passion for research or the study of law and courts.
Copyright © Michael Zilis