PETER WARING: Teaching & Learning

1. What's your learning style? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it?

I’m the kind of learner who, when he buys any new gadget or software, throws away the instructions and learns by trial and error. I tend to be an impatient learner and prefer less structured learning environments.

2. What's the most useful thing you have learned that can be applied both, to your personal and to your professional life?

The most useful thing – can I have two please? Always retain a sense of humour and a sense of proper perspective (in other words, ask yourself does it really matter?).

3. Can you share what's been the most useful thing you have ever taught?

Good question for an academic but also an easy one – critical thinking skills are easily the most important thing I teach my students.

4. What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten?

My parents always told me that whatever I tried in life, to always do my best and no matter if I failed at something I would know that I had given my best shot. This seems to have served me well over the years.

5. If there was one thing you wished everyone in this planet learned, what would it be?

I agree that empathy really is the most important quality that I wished everyone had. It goes hand in hand with ethics, logic and reason.