Sahar Joakim, Ph.D.
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Joakim, Curriculum Vitae
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Teaching Creed:

I am a philosophy professor. From my perspective, the goal of humanities courses is to make students better humans. Humans are the thinkers of the animal kingdom. To me, what is unique about humans is our ability to philosophize: to think carefully and critically about everything in life including death. Teaching philosophy is unique because I am trying to teach students how to examine their views on reality and how to examine reality itself both in light of their personal experiences and independent of their personal perspective. Philosophy courses are essential to one’s education because by learning to ask the relevant questions and to appropriately question answers, students gain tools applicable to any class or career. I teach philosophy because I care about how people think and I care how educators teach people how to think. Each day I walk into the classroom (or log into it) is a gift. I cannot see myself doing anything more fulfilling with my time or more useful with my skills. I strengthen my student’s cognitive capacities and forge in them a habit of examining their lives. I measure my teaching effectiveness by the patterns that surface in my course evaluations. I ask for anonymous midterm evaluations and I treat this feedback from students as seriously as what they indicate on the school’s evaluations. When students report having learned not only about the subject matter but also about themselves, I know I have succeeded as a professor in the humanities. 
Teaching Experience:
​
St. Louis Community College, Meramec (St. Louis, MO)
  • World Religions 
    • Fall 2022 (one Online, one Live Virtual Lecture)
    • Summer 2022 (two Online)
    • Spring 2022 (3 in-person, 2 Online)
    • Spring 2021 (2 Live Virtual Lecture)
  • Philosophy of Religion
    • Spring 2022 (in-person)
  • Ethics 
    • Fall 2022 (in-person)
    • ​Fall 2021 (Live Virtual Lecture)
    • Fall 2021 (in-person)
    • Summer 2021 (Live Virtual Lecture)
    • Spring 2021 (3 Live Virtual Lecture)
  • Introduction to Logic
    • Fall 2021 (Live Virtual Lecture)
    • Fall 2021 (in-person)
  • Introduction to Philosophy
    • Fall 2022 (one QM Online, two in-person)
    • Summer 2021 (Live Virtual Lecture)

Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (Edwardsville, IL)
  • Reasoning and Argumentation
    • Fall 2020 (three sections, online)

Jefferson College (Hillsboro, MO)
  • Medical Ethics 
    • Spring 2021 (two online)
  • Logic 
    • Fall 2020 (online)
  • World Religions 
    • Spring 2021 (online)
    • Fall 2020 (online)
    • Spring 2020 

Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO)
  • Ethics 
    • Fall 2020 (co-taught/cross listed)
    • Spring 2020 (online after spring break)
    • Fall 2019 (two)
    • Summer 2019
  • Introduction to Philosophy: Self and Reality 
    • Spring 2017
    • Fall 2016

Saint Louis Army ROTC
        Making Ethical Decisions Quickly
               ​Guest Lecturer: Spring 2019


Saint Louis Community College, Continuing Education
  • Religion and Its Role in World History 
  • Eastern Religions 
  • Western/Monotheistic Religions x2
  • Forgiveness: The Key to Happiness 
  • Ethics: The Right Way to Live


Pre-Collegial Experience:

AC-Central High School (Ashland, IL)
        Western Literature
               ​Fall 2020
        Communications
               ​Fall 2020
​
Johns Hopkins University, ​Center for Talented Youth
    
    Philosophy
               Summer, 2022 
        Philosophy of Mind

               Summer, 2018


​
​Presentation on Pedagogy:


“Instructor-Led Collaborative Notes During Class”
Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference (2021)

​
“Teaching Lesson Plans that Humanize: on Friendship”
AAPT-APA Teaching Hub Poster Session (2020)
The APA Central Division Meeting

Award:

The Father James Veltrie, S.J. Cura Personalis
Faculty Excellence Award
(2017) 
Student Government Association, Saint Louis University 

License/ Certification:

Certificate in Independent Applying the QM Rubric (2021)
Quality Matters (QM)
​

Substitute Teacher License, State of Illinois
pre-kindergarten through grade 12

Certificate in University Teaching Skills (2017)
The Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning 

Training:

Introduction to Online Teaching (2020)

The Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning

Mentoring the Mentors (2019)
The APA Central Division Meeting with facilitator Mitzi Lee 

Teaching Seminar (2015 - 2016)
Scott Ragland, Saint Louis University

APA Syllabus Showcase: Joakim INTRO TO PHIL

Evaluation:
(last update Dec. 2020)

Link: Complete, unedited student evaluations.
Link: Complete, unedited faculty evaluations.

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