I began teaching Calculus and Linear Algebra back in China when I was 18 years old. After teaching for two years, I resumed my studies at Shanghai Teachers' University, but then I paid special attention to how the best teachers taught their classes. When I went back to the college to continue teaching, I received the Outstanding Teaching Award each year for the next two years. At that time, I taught Calculus, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, Ordinary Differential Equations, and Statistics.
It was a challenge when I started as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Pennsylvania. I was worried. However, it turned out that I really enjoyed it, and I was pleased with the students reactions and comments. At Penn, I taught all levels of Calculus as a Teaching Assistant, and had full responsibility for summer courses in Calculus, Fourier Series & Boundary Value Problems, and Linear Algebra. A videotape of the summer course on Linear Algebra that I taught at Penn has been a "model" for the three years from 1993 to 1996 in the Department's Instructional Program for new Teaching Assistants.
Since I have been at Harvey Mudd, I have taught Advanced Differential Geometry, Linear Algebra, Elementary Differential Geometry, Multi-variable Calculus and Advanced Linear Algebra. Usually, I teach three courses or sections in the fall semester and two courses in the spring semester. The teaching evaluation of my courses is around 6 points out of a total 7 points. (The highest one was 6.87 out of 7.) I held weekly evening problem sessions on Sunday nights in addition to my regular office hours, held review sessions on weekends, and held extra office hours to help students with weak backgrounds. My students greatly appreciated my hard work.
Here are some examples of course evaluations:
Prof. Gu is very enthusiastic about teaching and put a lot of effort and work: into helping the students understand the material. She makes linear algebra a very enjoyable and understandable course. Gu often holds homework sessions ,for us and gives us a lot of extra material to help us study. She is very nice and approachable professor and one of my favorite teachers.
Professor Gu was interested in the course and taught the material well. I liked how she did not go in the order of the book. The organization was very good. She cares about her students a lot.
Professor Gu was energetic and motivating which made everyone want to do their best work. She also explained material very clearly.
A lot of challenging material was covered. It was fun to learn so much... Very dedicated and well-prepared ...whenever there were gaps in our knowledge, Prof. Gu would quickly and effectively review ...Kept a good pace going through material: when it was simple it was covered quickly, but more difficult subjects were given more time and useful examples.
Professor Gu is an excellent teacher with a clear mastery of advanced mathematics. I liked that the class was able to cover some advanced material in depth... The "big picture" guides were very helpful for the organizing the rnate rial in my mind... The material was extremely challenging, but Prof. Gu did an excellent job of making it interesting and understandable.
In order to improve my teaching constantly, I have been observing how some of the best professors at Harvey Mudd teach their classes. I learned a lot from their teaching techniques. Still there is much more for me to learn. Throughout these years, I have thoroughly enjoyed my teaching, and intend to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
I have prepared course materials for the following classes.
(In order for me to attend workshops in geometry at MSRI, Art arranged my teaching so that I had a heavier load in 2003 instead.)