Teaching Philosophy
Summing up my teaching philosophy I would explain it as a pursuit of the philosophy of learning. The focus must be on the learner and I must adjust my teaching strategies in response to the learner’s abilities and styles. Each student is different so to assume I can teach each class the same from semester to semester is a preposterous assumption. I must understand what teaching is, who I am and who the learner is to be an effective teacher.
What is teaching?
Teaching…..what does this involve? To answer this question simply, teaching involves a learner, a teacher and a process of change that occurs in context. This process can happen for a variety of reasons but will always include time. This phenomenon best described as follows: “You never know beforehand what people are capable of, you have to wait, give it time, it’s time that rules, time is our gambling partner on the other side of the table and it holds all the cards of the deck in its hand, we have to guess the winning cards of life, our lives.”
So teaching is a process of change that is never fully completed by the teacher and learner in a classroom. This is the hardest part of teaching as we as educators rarely see our finished masterpiece.
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Why do I teach?
Why would anyone enjoy this messy, constantly changing, emotionally charged profession? I enjoy teaching because my strengths are exercised every day in this profession. According to the Clifton Strengths Finder 2.0 my strengths are: Learner, Developer, Connectedness, Restorative, Relator. These one word strengths mean very little until you hear the definitions.
Learner: “ A person especially talented in the Learner theme has a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites him/her.”
Developer: “A person especially talented in the Developer theme recognizes and cultivates the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.”
Connectedness: “A person especially talented in the Connectedness theme has faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and most every event has a reason.”
Restorative: “A person especially talented in the Restorative theme is adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.”
Relator: “A person especially talented in the Relator theme enjoys close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.”
I believe completely these are my strengths, I feel these strengths within me, I am these strengths. Knowing these are my strengths has made me truly “own” teaching.
How do I teach?
First I believe it is important to know my audience. To get to know my audience initially I will play a name game the first week of class. The student is to associate themselves with something starting with the same letter as their first name. During this exercise I can get a good idea as to what types of students are in my class and what my approach should be in conveying the first unit’s information. It’s the subtleties of this activity that make it successful, such as: listening to the volume of their speech and understanding the item they choose to relate themselves too. This exercise also helps me learn each student’s name so that they feel valued in this class.
Second, tailor the course content into a format that can be digested by the audience. Interior Design students typically arrive in class with a strong ability in creativity or logic, but usually not both. Interior Design requires both skill sets to be successful. Knowing this, I must vary my transmission methods to include concrete examples as well as abstract examples. In this manner, I will allow students to excel in their chosen skill set but also expose them to a new way of understanding.
Third, use real world examples the students can relate too. This is a crucial aspect for them to learn because it gives value to the content. Furthermore, using “plain speak” to convey ideas. It is more important the student understands the concept rather than me sounding superior.
Fourth, listen. The art of listening is one of the hardest skills to exercise as an educator – yet the most effective. Students need to be able to express their ideas without interruptions and to someone they feel is invested in their learning. Moreover, the side effect of listening is developing new insights and growing respect for one another.
Finally, the most important aspect of my teaching is to have fun! If the setting is enjoyable then the work will be enjoyable.
What do I expect of a student?
I expect students to possess, exercise and respond to the following:
Motivation: I know learners come to class with their own motivation; such as curiosity, achievement, change or power. This motivation is tricky as it is not usually sustained throughout the course. As an educator I can encourage continued motivation through inclusion, setting a climate, being enthusiastic and concise. All of these things are what I strive to incorporate into my courses; however, ultimately it is up to the student to choose to be motivated.
Activation: I want students in my classes to want to learn and I know that isn’t always the case. This is another reason I must vary my transmission techniques. Let’s face it, listening to someone lecture for 60 minutes is boring. If I want to cultivate new ways of thinking within learners, I mustincorporate new ways of transmissions that are exciting and intriguing. Getting the learner invested in the class gives them a sense of inclusion and responsibility.
Reflection: I expect true reflection by the students. This is a tall order as reflection takes valuable time and time is hard to come by in today’s learning environment. However, if I want the information to stick I must allow for meaning to be made. The outcome of reflection is to gain a deeper insight which is the ultimate goals as an educator.
What do I do to improve?
Everything and anything. My number one and two strengths are “Learner” which by definition means: “ A person who desires to learn and wants to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites the person who is a Learner.” and “Developer – A person who recognizes and cultivates the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.” I can’t help myself! I will figure out how to reach students if it means making up a song or dance in class. I am so interested in being the best that I can be so the student can be better.