Teach Me If You Can: Teaching Political Science Majors Statistics at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Teaching an introductory statistics class can be challenging and frustrating. This was especially the case when I taught such a course for the first time in 2016. Since then, I have revisited my pedagogy and developed ways to enhance students’ understanding of statistics and its application to real-world situations. The challenges were not only about teaching statistical concepts, but about fighting against students’ lack of motivation and teaching myself to be a good instructor. In the borderland of South Texas, due to the struggle to balance school life with work and family obligations, my students naturally adopt the following attitude: “I don’t have time for this. Teach me if you can.” Understanding my students’ situation was the key to overcoming this challenge.