Brief Professional Bio
Marc Plooster is a Ph.D. Student at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. From Michigan, he previously worked in professional government finance and accounting roles across a variety of general purpose municipalities including a school district, city, and county.
Research Interests
Municipal financial markets, governmental accounting and governmental accounting standards, intergovernmental grants and grant reporting, defined benefit pension plans.
Teaching Philosophy Statement
As a Public Affairs and Public Budgeting and Finance PhD student, I have developed a passion for educating the next generation of scholars and practitioners in governmental and nonprofit budgeting, finance, and accounting. I am commitment to student-centered learning for all types of learners regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, class, or abilities. My teaching philosophy focuses on a commitment to lectures, activities, and assignments that have applications for every students’ future careers. In every classroom, I strive to create an environment where students actively engage with course material before the class, collaborate with peers through activities such as think-pair-share, and emerge with both theoretical understanding and practical skills essential for navigating the complexities of public financial management. I want my students to be able to come away from my classroom transformed and ready to apply their knowledge to other classes and more importantly to their first and all future jobs.
Central to my teaching philosophy is the recognition that effective learning is more than just lecturing for an entire class. It requires active student participation and meaningful carrer application. Drawing from my experiences as an accountant for a city, county, and school district, I have found that incorporating examples from outside of the classroom serves as a catalyst for comprehension, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Moreover, I firmly believe in leveraging visual aids, such as flowcharts, and showing the mental steps of using them. I believe that these improve students' understanding of complex concepts such as donor implied time restrictions. Additionally, this is particularly relevant in the domain of accounting.
Integration lies at the heart of my instructional approach. Lectures are specifically crafted to blend with activities and assignments, ensuring that theoretical concepts are followed by practical application. Clarity is paramount, especially when teaching technical subject matter. I make it a priority to scaffold my class by turning complex assignments into small components, employing various pedagogical techniques and respecting the diverse learning styles in my classroom.
In-class activities serve as invaluable tools for fostering active learning and enhancing retention. While I have implemented strategies such as think-pair-share, I am committed to exploring and incorporating all interactive methodologies to cater to the needs of my students. Moreover, I firmly believe in the transformative power of collaborative assignments. Students should not only learn from me but also from each other, mimicking the world outside of the classroom. Working with others is going to be a critical component to their future careers, and the classroom should be not only a place to learn and practice relevant content, but it should also be a place to learn and practice professional interactions.
Seeking a PhD shows a commitment to lifelong learning. I hope to continually evolve and implement new pedagogical best practices as well as respond to student feedback. I am committed to creating a classroom environment characterized by intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, mutual respect for all regardless of who they are, and practical application. By empowering students to become active participants in their own learning journey, I aim to equip them with the skills and knowledge to be successful in the ever-evolving landscape of public financial management.
In conclusion, my teaching philosophy is rooted in the principles of student-centered learning, integration, clarity, and active engagement. As I embark on my journey as an educator, I am deeply committed to future generations of forward-thinking professionals who respect peers, focus on equality in the public they will serve, and have the skills to effect positive change in the realm of governmental budgeting, finance, and accounting and beyond.
Brief Personal Bio
Marc grew up in West Michigan and is married to Mary Adams Plooster. He enjoys running long distance (two half marathons down), playing tennis, and is an avid fan of Grand Valley State University Football and Indiana University Women's Basketball. Marc enjoys traveling, especially with family and to see family, and enjoys hikes in the woods and an after meal campfire. He also loves meteorology and all things weather history and storm following.