Educational Philosophy
My philosophy of the conceptualization of teaching derives itself from the core beliefs I maintain in my life. It includes realties of the constant ebb and flow of education as it relates to everyday life.
As attention spans shorten and multi-tasking grows, it is essential that I act as the rails of an amusement park ride while the student’s center of gravity is thrown to and fro. Educators must have a keen sense of self and discipline in order to navigate the hyper-changing environments we live in and the associated impacts on our students. Likewise, my philosophy of the conceptualization of learning predicates itself on experiences I have observed in both my professional and personal life. Specifically, I see and understand that at times learners need a nuanced approach while others benefit from much more direct methods. It is important that one is both challenged with knowledge but not be overwhelmed. Knowledge, like water from a hose, can be both nurturing and eroding depending on the surface and needs of the soil.
My vision for my students is to leave my course with broader subject expertise. This includes the ability to think critically, ingest and process core learning subject matter, and develop skillsets to add their unique thought derivatives to their next encounter with the subject matter. In essence, the goal is to provide the student with a gateway to expand what I have taught in a way that they can absorb the information and then teach it in their individual ways, should they so choose.
I encourage contact between students and myself inside and outside of the classroom environment to promote student motivation. I expect my students to rigidly adhere to the policies and procedures of the academic requirements. I will engage students in team-based activities, role-playing, and projects that are relative to the course topics, and incorporate various learning styles to reach all students.
Chickering & Gamson (1987) stated that learning to use one's time well is critical for students and professionals alike and students need help in learning effective time management. I will assist students in creating a master schedule, the benefits of using an agenda and understanding how to eliminate distractions to stay on task. Chickering & Gamson (1987) stated that time plus energy equals learning and providing students with opportunities to integrate their studies into the rest of their lives helps them use time well.