Teaching Philosophy

In teaching, a triadic relationship forms between the teacher, the student(s), and the material being engaged at any particular moment.  It is within the context of this triadic relationship that learning occurs.  Additionally, this relationship is surrounded by a department, an institution, a community, and a larger culture that help to shape and are in turn shaped by this triadic relationship.  Thus, factors both within and between each of these components, as well as factors within the larger contexts in which this relationship exists, will have an impact on learning.  The focus or weight given to any one of these factors and/or the relationships between these factors, will necessarily, change and shift.  They may shift as a result of the goals of an educational experience or because of particular features of the teacher or the students.  Despite these necessary and natural shifts, however, I feel that each relationship (student-content, teacher-content, and teacher-student) is critical to learning.  My educational philosophy is shaped by this belief.

The first principle of my philosophy of teaching and learning is that engaging students with disciplinary knowledge and course material is essential to the educational process.  I believe knowledge is constructed, not transmitted.  Constructing knowledge requires that you interact with it in meaningful ways that provide you with the opportunity for critical reflection.  In my own classes I try to engage students in a variety of ways.  My courses are highly interactive and include in-class activities such as debates and role playing, as well as large and small group discussions.  Discussions allow students to critically reflect on material in a collaborative way and to learn from each other.  I also engage students through writing.  Writing is one of the most important activities students can do as a part of the learning process.  Through writing students can engage with material in a truly deep and meaningful way that requires them to process information at a higher level than just remembering facts.  Often, as a part of my course, I ask students to keep reflective journals in which they make connections between the readings, class discussions, and their own experiences.  These journals serve as a synthesizing and integrating tool.  My strong belief in having students interact with course content in meaningful ways leads directly to the second principle of my philosophy of teaching and learning.

 If learning is perceived as a collaborative process in which knowledge is constructed as opposed to a unilateral process in which the teacher is the expert and knowledge is transmitted, it is important for the teacher to have a strong understanding both of the content or material of the course and the students participating in the course.  A good working knowledge of the course material makes it easier to find ways in which to engage students with material and to facilitate these experiences so that students can make meaning out of them.  Having a good knowledge of students allows the teacher to create a learning environment in which conflict and dialogue can occur in respectful and constructive ways.  Additionally, having knowledge both of the content and the students allows the teacher to be able to better assess student learning.  Assessing student learning is the third principle of my educational philosophy.

Assessment and feedback are necessary components of the learning environment.  If the goal of assessment and feedback is to improve student learning, they must be closely linked to what is happening in the learning environment.  This isn’t to say that students should be tested every week but rather that assessment of learning should be an integrated and ongoing component of the learning environment.  Students should receive regular feedback in many different forms from both the teacher and their classmates.  Again, in my own courses I try to create opportunities for students to get feedback both through formal evaluative assessments, as well as through informal formative assessments.  For example, following a mini-lecture on a particular topic in class I have students do an in-class application of that information (i.e., debate, role-play) during which they get feedback from me, as well as their peers (formative).  At the end of class, I ask them to write for two minutes on some aspect of the day’s topic in order for them, as well as me, to assess their understanding of the topic.  These in-class journals are returned the following class period with clarifications, comments and questions (formative) and serve as the starting point for class discussion.  Then, typically, within one or two class periods of the mini-lecture I quiz the students on the information given in the lecture (evaluative).  Student learning is maximized by regularly assessing (through formal and informal methods) students’ understanding and by providing students with constructive and timely feedback on their work.

The fourth principle of my educational philosophy has to do with my belief that the learning environment (teacher-learner-content) exists within a larger context.  It is critical that we, as teachers, provide students with opportunities to apply what they are learning in class to contexts outside of class and that we acknowledge how the larger context shapes what happens in the learning environment.  By doing this, we create learning environments that are connected to the worlds in which our students live.  Consequently, we make learning more meaningful, expand the space in which learning occurs, and allow our students to bring their whole selves to the learning process.  One of the ways in which I do this in my own classes is by requiring that students engage in community service as a part of the course (service-learning).  By engaging students in meaningful community service activities that are linked to academic learning students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they are getting in class to real-life situations.  Additionally, students bring the experience and knowledge they gain in their service opportunities back to the learning environment and to their understanding of the course content.  Asking students to reflect on their service experiences in class engages them in collaborative discussion with their peers around real-life issues.  Often, during these discussions, differing viewpoints are raised, conflict occurs, and students’ assumptions and biases are challenged.  While this process can be frustrating, this type of critical collaborative reflection provides students with an opportunity to construct knowledge and meaning that stretches beyond what they could construct individually.

In summary, I believe there are four principles that are necessary in order for learning to be meaningful and of a high quality.  First, it is important to find diverse and meaningful ways to engage students with disciplinary knowledge and course material.   Second, the teacher needs to have a good knowledge both of the content of the course and the students participating in the course.  Third, opportunities for students to receive feedback through both formative and evaluative assessments enhance learning.  Finally, learning must be connected to the broader contexts in which it occurs and in which the learners live.  By incorporating these four principles into all the work I do with students I strive to create educational environments that promote student learning.