Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is “purposeful teaching for meaningful learning.” Teachers should have a clear purpose for every lecture, discussion, assignment, and exam. Students are expected to be actively engaged in learning so that new information is meaningful to them.

Purposeful Teaching

Classes cannot function properly if they do not have a clearly defined purpose. Each time a class meets, the instructor should have core ideas for the students to understand. As the discussion unfolds, the instructor should use every opportunity to communicate those core ideas, while also being flexible to meet the students where they are. If those core ideas are not communicated, the purpose of teaching is lost. The teacher must serve as the leader of the classroom to help students think critically, reason ethically, and participate effectively.

Students should readily recognize the “so what” and the “why” behind every topic that is discussed. By the end of class, every student should be able to articulate the core ideas that were taught and why those ideas are meaningful.

A one-size-fits-all approach to teaching is a disservice to the students. Different students require different teaching techniques to understand the core ideas, which means that teachers must engage in diverse and inclusive pedagogy. Lectures, discussions, assignments, and exams should cater to various learning types, including visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, and verbal-linguistic.

Meaningful Learning

The classroom should be a place where students and teachers wrestle with ideas, but for meaningful learning to occur, the classroom must be a healthy, safe, and productive place. Every person in a classroom must feel respected by fellow classmates and the instructor. Every classroom environment should be a place where all students can voice their opinions and questions.

Students are expected to be accountable for their education. Even if a teacher is working toward purposeful teaching, meaningful learning can only occur if students are active participants. Teachers should guide students to be self-advocates for their own education, but students must bear responsibility for their actions.

Meaningful learning is achieved when students can apply what they have learned to a wider context. Students should be able to synthesize new ideas with ideas that they already know. Teachers are only facilitators for learning; students are expected to be active in the learning process.