Jason Linn, PhD, is no ordinary history teacher. Upon entering his class, students are greeted with a YouTube music video about the Ancient Egyptians-set to the tune of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” and a teacher wearing a typical Pharaoh’s costume. Jason’s classes are just as entertaining as his costumes: on the first day, he takes advantage of how he looks like he could be a college student himself and sits at a desk in the back, only to scare the crap out of his students when he jumps up and begins teaching. His lectures are peppered with jokes, and his knowledge of pop culture-despite his insistence of using prehistoric flip phone-keeps the students engaged. All in all, Jason is one of the funniest, smartest, most original teachers that I’ve ever had. But don’t take my word for it–his PolyRating is a 3.75/4.00, and he’s the only teacher that I’ve ever had that’s made it on Reddit.
Name: Jason Linn, PhD
Courses taught: Hist 110, Hist 210, Hist 221, Hist 222
Her Campus: Tell us about what you did before deciding to teach.
Dr. Linn: The summers of ’96-’98, ’00-’01, and ’03-’05, I worked at a park doing hard labor, such as mowing grass, picking up garbage, spreading woodchips, cleaning toilets (ew), and setting up baseball games. The fall of 2005 I made salads in a dorm during my first semester of my Master’s program. I began teaching the winter of 2006.
HC: What made you decide to teach? Why history?
DL: I started teaching to cover my living expenses (and to minimize my student loans) when I was in grad school. I started out with ACT prep classes in 2006, and then added LSAT, SAT, and GRE classes to my repertoire. I decided to teach history because I love telling stories, and had a great history teacher, Paul Maier, at WMU.
HC: Why did you decide to teach at Cal Poly?
DL: I wasn’t sure what year I was going to finish my dissertation, so during the ’12-’13 school year, I applied to 50 college teaching jobs. Cal Poly was the only school to hire me. I had a choice to make: either remain a TA at UCSB, or teach at Cal Poly for two quarters. It was an easy decision (duh). Cal Poly would later rehire me for Spring ’14, and I’m still here.
HC: Where are you from originally, and do you like living in SLO?
DL: I’m from Lake Villa, Illinois, which is in the extreme Northeast Illinois. I love SLO! It has such beautiful scenery, the weather is amazing, and the town is so charming.
HC: What’s the most embarrassing experience you’ve had while teaching/most embarrassing thing you’ve ever seen a student do?
DL: My first year teaching GRE I couldn’t solve a couple math problems. Now, I’ve made a fool of myself so much that I’m inoculated from embarrassment (this is true). When I was teaching SAT prep in Boulder, CO, I had a student come to class drunk and hit on the girls.
HC: What’s your least favorite thing about being a teacher?
DL: When students complain about an “A-” or a “B,” because it’s just pure greed. I only ever complained about one grade, and it was an “A” in which I argued should have been a “B.”
HC: What’s your favorite thing about teaching?
DL: My favorite thing about teaching would be telling captivating stories.
HC: How long does it take you to find all the videos you play before every class? What about all the costumes you wear?
DL: To find the songs initially for each lecture, it took me maybe 2-3 hours. I’ve taught each class at least four times, so nothing now. The costumes are old Halloween garb that I intentionally chose so that they may have an afterlife (Pharaoh’s robe and headdress, Viking hat and shirt, etc.).
HC: What are your favorite things to do when you aren’t working?
DL: Playing hockey, following my stocks (mostly water and solar), reading sci-fi (What? Not historical fiction?), and hiking.
HC: Are you ever going to upgrade from a flip phone to an iPhone?
DL: Yes, when tragedy befalls my current flip phone. Resistance is futile.
HC: This is the most important question: Team Captain America or Team Iron Man?
DL: Team Iron Man. Goody-two-shoes annoy me (Yes, but have you seen Captain America’s muscles? Or his face?).
Jedi Master Jason Linn, everybody. Take his classes if you can-you won’t regret it.