Teaching

Philosophy

Teaching is an opportunity to not just share knowledge, but to in-

spire students to think in ways they have not before about what con-tribution they can make to our global community with their own tal-ents, skills, and unique world view. The classroom is a conduit to greater understanding and new possibilities unconsidered be-fore. As a second generation teacher, I have had the good fortune of observing throughout the years the impact a teacher has upon the lives of his or her students. My passion being

literature, I certainly intend to develop in

students a respect for the centuries of efforts

put forth by great writers to describe their

societies, tell their stories, and to impact

history.

Realizing that not all students come to my classroom excited

about my particular field, I focus upon three elements that I be-lieve are the keys to effective teaching, whether students come to a course by election or by requirement.

1. Love of Learning

A personal love of learning is the very foundation for becoming a teacher, and this enthusiasm must be communicated if one is to facilitate others’ learning. This means inquiry should be encouraged. Critical thinking skills which cross disciplinary boundaries and also apply to life outside the classroom should be developed. To this end, I prefer open-ended analysis of materials over quizzes which test memorization skills. I often go over the six types of Socratic questions at the beginning of the term, so that students understand it is not enough to simply render an opinion, but they need to be aware of assumptions and give reasons and evidence for their judgments. In addition to my own research pursuits, I follow several pedagogical journals and blogs in order to continually get new ideas for engaging students with the course texts and materials. I am also interested in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Programs (SoTL) which allow faculty to share results of diverse techniques and strategies to improve undergraduate learning.

2. Respect for Students

A supportive environment is necessary to foster professional and personal growth. Part of creating a comfortable setting is acknowledging the varied background each student brings, and identifying the ways in which those experiences can contribute to success. As the saying goes, “If you are a parent of four children and you have raised them exactly the same way, then you have failed three of them.” Likewise, students have different learning styles, and effective instructors are mindful of this fact. While I believe in interactive learning, such as intriguing discussions and collaborative group assignments, I also believe there is a place for well-delivered lectures and multimedia presentations, often considered passive learning. Having worked with diverse student populations in an asynchronous online environment for several years, I am aware that for adult learners in particular, continuous feedback is extremely important for developing self-confidence. I accommodate this need by providing them with a weekly written check point assignment worth a nominal amount of points, to which I respond with a customized rubric, indicating areas where they excel and where they need improvement. My students have thanked me numerous times for providing them with detailed feedback on small assignments, so that they can improve their skills before the final project.

3. Maintaining High Standards

I have a non-elitist yet high-standards approach to the classroom. Just as I spend several hours each week reading, preparing, and assessing, so too are students expected to spend several hours outside of class reading and working on assignments. Most people desire to be challenged and galvanize their efforts to rise to expectations. There are few things more rewarding in life than successfully conquering a challenge, whether it be in a physical arena or a mental one. As a student, I respected teachers who thought enough of my abilities to expect greatness, and I believe part of the respect I show my own students is my faith in their potential. Once, when a student was pleading with me to accept a very tardy assignment, he asked “In all your years of college, did you not once ask for an extension of a due date?” While I could have honestly replied to the student that even though I was a single parent throughout six of my college years I never once asked for an extension on a due date, instead I informed him that an extension on an assignment must be discussed and agreed upon before the actual due date. I have found it important to go over time management techniques with students, who often juggle jobs and families along with their education. My syllabus contains firm due dates, and on the first day of class, I go over these due dates and impress the idea of working ahead in order to buffer unexpected events which can crop up in their lives. I also keep all of my “due dates” as agreed upon, in terms of returning their scores and feedback within one week, no matter what happens in my personal life. Though I believe in setting high standards for myself and my students, I should emphasize that these standards should be realistic and attainable; no one enjoys being set up to fail.

The vocation of teaching involves modeling the skills and behaviors we believe will lead students to successfully attaining their goals. The teacher-student relationship is a partnership with responsibilities on both sides. I continue to focus on my own development in these three key areas by applying evaluation feedback from my students, by observing colleagues in their classrooms and by accepting advice from trusted mentors.