TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 

The Art and Science of Teaching

Ollie L. Jefferson, Ph.D.

Teaching is both an art and a science. The science of education includes the principles and strategies incorporated into diverse student populations to learn through effective lesson planning, classwork, and homework assignments. The art of teaching is the educator's eclectic style that brings originality to the learning experience. My style includes enthusiasm, a sense of humor, and creativity. The ability to master science and art together fosters a compelling learning environment where teachers and students can develop confidence and trust. Students learn in many different ways. My teaching philosophy dictates that I teach to the individual student, not just to the group. This philosophy means that whether I have twenty students in a class or one hundred and twenty, my mission is for each student to feel that I care about their progress and development. The chosen activities have a specific purpose related to the course objectives and are customized to meet the needs of each individual student. 

First, some visual learners may require technology—pictures, videos, charts, or graphs—to understand the course material. Second, some auditory learners listen to lectures and read to retain the information. Third, some kinesthetic learners gain an understanding of new methods by applying innovative concepts. Students can prefer one, two, or three learning styles. A student may be an excellent visual and auditory learner; however, the learner may require more development in their kinesthetic skills. Because of these different learning styles, I like to incorporate all three of these learning styles into curriculum activities for students to succeed in my classes. 

My job is to vary my teaching style to accommodate all types of learners. Different learning styles are addressed in the curriculum activities of my communication studies classes. I do not limit students' classroom experience to my videos and presentations to facilitate lectures related to concepts examined in class. Students are required to research, write, and present their work in front of the class. These activities engage the kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learners to review the presentations during peer evaluations. 

Setting up a student for success also enables them to hone their abilities in additional learning modalities that are applicable to real-life situations. It is crucial for pupils to have moderate to high growth in a variety of learning styles. The mastery of various learning styles implies someone can retain knowledge regardless of the manner in which it is provided. I therefore make an effort to incorporate educational activities that promote the growth of every type of learning style. I can see which areas of learning are well established and which still require improvement by using the different learning inventories.  

Students typically grasp the science of teaching best when motivated by the value and importance of the classroom's information. First, drawing on the interests of students builds a learning environment. First, drawing on the interests of students builds a learning environment. The interests of students might range from their chosen degree in college to their aspirations for their future careers. Before classes begin, students fill out a form that asks about their goals for the course, their intended career path, their favorite pastimes, their best communication style, and what the professor can do to support them. Second, I like to maintain an interactive classroom environment, which is also an essential component of effective learning. Students actively participating in classroom interactions are more likely to learn. Finally, student learning occurs when students are given opportunities to apply classroom information to real-life situations. The real test of education is students transferring and maintaining knowledge outside the classroom walls.  

I encourage my students to leave comments or pose questions that are pertinent to their professional and personal objectives in order to foster an interactive learning environment. Regularly soliciting feedback from students during lectures fosters an engaging learning environment and a sense of community. Furthermore, case studies and group work are employed to enhance the students' learning experience. Additionally, I facilitate learning by allowing their grasp and application of the information taught in the course to determine the pace of the class. 

I frequently use role-playing exercises to illustrate tasks. Students evaluate me after my presentations, and I can evaluate students by giving them oral and visual presentations on a regular basis. My students receive feedback on their progress with these assignments throughout class. This approach also allows me to modify my lesson plans and curriculum to better suit their requirements. In addition, I help my students learn by being accessible to them both within and outside of the classroom and by including assignments that accommodate different learning styles. 

To summarize, my teaching methodology is built around the unique learning styles of each student. Students will eventually be more motivated to learn and apply the course material for their future professions if they perceive the instructor to be skilled in both the science of teaching approaches and the art of establishing an engaging classroom atmosphere that is both interesting and participatory. I like to make the necessary modifications to help students who are struggling with any teaching method. This may mean referring back to their initial student survey. If needed, I will request a one-on-one conference with the student to gain more insight into their learning style. Students' ultimate goal is to grow as professionals, and my mission as a professor is to continue growing as a professional in the art and science of teaching.