I love exploring new ideas with students in the classroom, and am fortunate to teach several classes in the Master of Regional Planning and the the undergraduate Sustainable Community Development programs at UMass Amherst. I have also been an instructor or T.A. in many classes in the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington.
I want every student to leave my classes filled with confidence and curiosity. Striking a balance between affirming students and challenging them, between making the world familiar and making it wonderfully strange, is for me the hard work of teaching. My goal is to help each student find a place where whatever it is that drives them can gain traction to move something in the world.
I’m currently teaching these classes at UMass:
- City Planning (syllabus)
- Planning History & Theory (syllabus)
- History of Sustainable Community Development
- Sustainable Cities
- Intro to Geographic Information Systems
I also taught some fun summer classes at UW:
Here’s what some of my students say about me and my classes:
One of the most engaging classes I’ve taken! The passion Peter has is contagious and he teaches clearly and with empathy.
Best professor I’ve had this semester and best class I’ve taken in a while. Truly enjoyed this class so much.
I LOVED this course. Peter is an incredible teacher, and his love of the subject matter is palpable and contagious. He inspired interest in the class and in-depth, thought-provoking discussions.
I really enjoyed the lectures – the use of visual slides and excitement for the content made them engaging. Peter did a great job of connecting course material to the experiences of students.
This was the best planning class I have taken … It was well balanced, challenging, and it inspired me to seek additional knowledge on my own.
I cannot say enough how much I appreciate Peter’s contribution to my learning. Such a wonderful person to have in your corner! And so clearly committed to supporting student learning and success!
Peter’s dedication and availability to students is amazing. He is approachable and communicates clearly. He really pushes students to learn and improve.
Peter was a fantastic instructor. He is thoughtful, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable, and he clearly cared a lot about the course and whether students were gaining valuable information.