Date
02/19/2025
Position Information
Position desired: Other Position, Teacher
Subjects you can teach: 7-12 Humanities Teacher, 7-12 Philosophy Teacher, 7-12 Theology Teacher, Logic Teacher, Rhetoric Teacher
Willing to relocate to: West
Summary:
For the past 15 years I have enjoyed helping my undergraduate students not only to think logically per se but also logically about important philosophical questions. Such questions, to my mind, are not purely academic. Rather, how one answers these questions can have significant consequences for one’s everyday life and the lives of others. I also have enjoyed doing my part in in helping my students grow in their character and psychological well-being. Through the design of my courses, I aim to instill resilience and conscientiousness in my students, two key virtues the possession of which is vital to their well-being regardless of their chosen vocation. And I also strive to model for my students heart-felt kindness, respect, compassion, and humility. In short, I seek to contribute to the flourishing of my students as whole persons; to their intellectual, psychological, and moral development.
I believe that I will have more opportunity to contribute to the flourishing of students (as whole persons) in a classical Christian setting. For one, there is more of a relational component to teaching in the classical Christian tradition. While I have been able to get to know some of my current students on a more personal level, that I will be seeing my students every day and for a longer duration during the day (not to mention smaller class sizes) will enable me more opportunity to build relationships with my students. Furthermore, and importantly, I want to be more God-centered in my teaching. I certainly adhere to the motto that ‘all truth is God’s truth’ and my desire is to have this reflected in everything I teach. I delight in Paul’s assertion: In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I desire the opportunity to be in an environment where this truth can, in a very explicit way, be the starting point (the foundation) from which my lessons flow. My current secular campus certainly is not such an environment. There is an ever-increasing and palpable fear amongst students and instructors of “saying the wrong thing.” More and more, in my experience, the secular university is becoming a place where knowledge of truth is not valued.
Surely, teaching younger students would be an adjustment. I am not terribly concerned about this, however. For I have always had a heart for younger kids and I have experience interacting with them in an educational (e.g. tutoring) and athletic setting (e.g. coaching). Also, I do not think my teaching style would fundamentally change as I already practice (and thoroughly enjoy) the Socratic method with my current students. To me it seems easier to modify the content of what is taught (e.g. utilizing philosophy books written for children) than to modify the way it is taught. Surely, as well, I am open to learning more about how to effectively interact with younger students; and more broadly I am open to learning more about what makes for a good teacher in the classical Christian tradition.
10 Fairway Dr
South San Francisco, CA 94080-4244 United States
Home Phone: (714) 401-1740
Cell Phone: (714) 401-1740
Email: jake.daniel.blair@gmail.com
CV or Resume
Website
Facebook Page
LinkedIn
Highest Level of Education: Doctoral or Professional Degree
Institutions Attended:
| Institution Name | Degree Earned (i.e., BA in English) | Date Graduated | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Santa Barbara | PhD | 2009 | Philosophy |
Employment History:
| Position | Employer | Dates of Service | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecturer | CSU East Bay | 2012-present |
Additional Qualifications:
Additional Experience with CCE:
Hobbies, Interests, and Family: Watching the SF Giants and 49ers and listening to sports talk radio. Venturing into SF with my wife Sandy. No kids but have had a few foster kids under our care for brief periods of time.
Top 5 Books: Crime and Punishment
Frankenstein
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Divine Conspiracy
Justice: Rights and Wrongs
Top 3 Books:
Most Influential Books: Jesus Under Fire
The Divine Conspiracy
War as Self-Defense
Preferred Denomination Type: Anglican/Episcopal
Current Church: Eucharist Church
Current Church Denomination:
Current Church Membership: Yes
Current Church Attendance:
Support of Traditional Marriage: Yes
Theology: Protestant (Sola Scriptura).
Belief in the inerrancy of Scripture?: Yes
Notes on Scripture: The Bible is without error when properly interpreted (e.g. taking note of genre and intended audience of a text). Anything meant to be taken as a genuinely declarative sentence will be true.
Additional classical training:
Why I want to teach at a classical school:
Final thoughts: