Teaching Philosophy - L.E.T.E.T.I.A

"Thus, my teaching philosophy has been student-centred, recognising my role as a facilitator and mentor, while catering to the pace and needs of various groups of students. "

Although the integration of various learning styles was a technique I used informally at the start of my career, these theories have recently been debunked and I have been enlightened further on my approaches. Student-centred learning has always been of great importance to me since I value my role as a mentor and support to build confidence in quantitative courses involving Mathematics and Statistics. I have continuously provided strategy-based learning to my students, so they can easily grasp patterns in learning, and apply knowledge to the best of their abilities to difficult concepts. My dedication to their success has always been a constant source of motivation for me as an avid life-long learner myself, learning new ways to enhance their learning abilities. 

"Over the years, I enhanced my techniques to create an atmosphere that promoted learning with a sense of comfort, using supplementary material I created myself." 

One of these involved the creation of a manual of Sample Questions and Solutions for the course Probability Theory I, which provided detailed explanations of examination-type questions, to reduce students' Statistics Anxiety when solving problems. This felt like a relief for me when incoming students would constantly ask year to year when the manual would be available for use. The most famous line would be: "Miss, I heard you have a Probability Solutions book. My friend used it last semester and she said it was very helpful. Do you still have it?" That feedback was invaluable for me and it increased my confidence to continue to find avenues to promote learning effectively. 

As I have progressed professionally, careful assessment of student abilities has been a great asset to my student-centred approach. 

"I have modified various learning theories, cultivating a more contemporary framework of Constructivism and Connectivism, in both online and face-to-face arenas to cater to the needs of diverse learners."

Along the trajectory of my career, I recognised how important it was to integrate software applications into the creation of online course modules in the learning management system, my E-Learning. This became increasingly important to show not only the theory but also the applications. I also instructed students on the use of statistical software such as SPSS and R, as well as mathematical applications in MS Excel. It is very important to me to build a story from Theory to Application, in all the courses I lecture, particularly applying concepts using technology to visualise the output and discuss how it is useful for everyday insights. 

"My students have appreciated these techniques novel approaches to enhance their understanding of the courses. Therefore, it is my desire to enrich the engagement and learning experience of students in a number of ways."

I have continued to successfully integrate the use of technology and social media tools including YouTube, Khan Academy Quizzes, Mentimeter polls, and various means of student engagement. While the syllabus content may not change drastically in quantitative courses related to Mathematics and Statistics, student motivation and focus, access to resources and individual competencies have varied each academic year. Therefore, as an educator, I have sought to overcome such challenges which students present in the classroom, by having regular check-ins about the pace of the content. 

"The students’ insights have allowed me to foster cohort-specific teaching methods as well."

In this way, I have been able to incorporate other tools such as videos or extra online resources with further examples to assist in difficult concepts and topics. This is key to propel the students with various competencies, particularly in the quantitative subjects related to the use of Mathematics and Statistics, where anxiety is more elevated.  I am a true proponent for integration of a well-rounded approach, in contrast to rote learning of content, which can sometimes feel more overwhelming to grasps concepts. 

 "It is my desire to enrich the learning experience of students in a number of ways." 

My assessments are designed to encourage students to work continuously with the course materials. I previously achieved active learning solely through bi-weekly assignments and tutorial problem sheets, allowing continuous feedback and guidance on problem solving techniques in tutorials and lectures. The Covid-19 pandemic has inspired me to improved these approaches to incorporate more interactive activities, both synchronously and asynchronously to keep students in a continuous learning cycle. 

"Virtual classrooms have allowed me to use discussion forums and collaborative activities such as Flipped Classrooms to put students in control of their own learning, with a guided approach. "

I am passionate about giving my students an invaluable experience where they are able to connect theory to practice. This has also translated into the use of Guided Projects and Mini-Conference presentations to enhance their classroom experience to draw real-world insights.

As I have grown personally and professionally, my teaching and learning principles have also transformed into my personal pillars:

·       Learner-centred – I actively guide students with the course material to generate their own knowledge

·       Emotionally Intelligent – I practice self-awareness and empathy in my interactions with students and set the example

·       Transparent – I provide meaningful and impactful course material, mark schemes and assessment feedback to students in a timely manner

·       Equality-driven – I account for equity, diversity and inclusion for students with various learning styles, abilities and competencies

·       Training-focused – I continue to be a life-long learner in order to enhance my abilities as a facilitator, as well as the student experience

·       Interactive – I incorporate impactful classroom activities, collaborations, group discussions and regular check-ins with students and colleagues

·       Applications – I provide adaptable application-based perspectives on the theory connecting to real-world models, policies and beyond

I am always eager to use my personal pillars in my courses to map to the Attributes of the Ideal UWI Graduate for a more well-rounded student.  

All in all, I feel a great sense of joy in my practice, and interactions, with students and fellow colleagues. I also value student and peer feedback as it motivates me to improve my skills in the classroom. I embrace my strengths and challenges in the arena as it pushed me to grow, both personally and professionally.   

"I have become even more than an educator, but more so a life mentor. This continues to be my most meaningful and greatest life work."