Courses Taught & Evaluations

Principles of Macroeconomics (FSU, Summer 2025)
- Section size: 44 students
- Emphasis on combining core macroeconomic theory with real-world applications to make concepts relevant for all students
- Instruction centered on board-based lectures, in-class problem solving, and regular discussion of current events.

Metric	Value
Survey response rate	73.3%
Instructor rating	4.91
Course content rating	4.70

_{Ratings are on a 1–5 scale.}

Teaching Philosophy

When I began teaching, I knew most of my students would be non-economics majors in large sections. My goal was to design a course that combined the core economic theory essential to any principles class with enough relevant, real-world applications for every student to find value in it. I want students to leave my class understanding that economics is not just abstract theory, but a framework for interpreting everyday decisions and events.

Effective communication between teacher and students is central to that mission. I actively invite feedback throughout the semester and make changes when I see opportunities to improve learning. For example, when students told me they learned better from handwritten explanations on the board than from slides, I adapted, switching to the board in class while still posting slides online as a reference.

I believe good teaching means being responsive to the needs of your students and flexible enough to step outside your comfort zone. By adapting to how students learn best, I aim to make economics both accessible and meaningful to all learners.

Selected Student Comments

“Professor Gooch’s instructional methods have been incredibly effective and impactful for my learning. His clarity, organization, and ability to break down complex concepts into digestible parts made the material much more approachable. For example, the way he structured lectures with real-world examples and interactive discussions kept me engaged and helped me retain information far better than in most courses. His responsiveness to questions, both in and out of class, also created a supportive learning environment where I felt comfortable participating and pushing myself intellectually”

“WOW! He somehow managed to keep a theatre major engaged in an economics course, and a content-heavy one at that. Hands down the best introduction to college classes. Engaging classes, fair grading, effort into our learning, and constantly offering help where it’s needed. My favorite class this semester!”

“Professor Gooch is a great teacher. He is approachable, clear, and really knows how to explain economics in a way that makes sense. You can tell he cares about students actually learning and not just memorizing information. I’ve learned a lot in this class, and I feel way more confident about understanding the economy than I did at the beginning of the semester”

“Professor Gooch has made an impact on my academic journey, and I’m truly grateful for the effort he puts into teaching. His passion for the subject and commitment to student success are evident in every class session. I hope more students have the opportunity to learn from him in the future”

“I mean he is amazing”