My Teaching Philosophy

A large part of my teaching philosophy is predicated on my belief that every information literacy-related skill students can acquire will directly benefit them not only throughout their academic career, but out in ‘the real world.’ Traditional students may not readily see this and it is always a joy when the student, the opportunity, and I are all able to converge to create thta Aha! moment. Older, non-traditional students will often see the value of IL/IF skills almost immediately and whenever time permits in a one-shot, I take time to illustrate this in action.

Another important facet of my teaching philosophy is approachability. First-Year students, as well as those who have been away from the academic environment for some time, are hesitant enough as it is to approach a librarian for help. I always strive – whether in a face-to-face or classroom setting – to put students at ease either with my body language - a smile or pleasant eye contact - or verbal reassurance, such as “I know that ______ [a database, or LC call numbers] is not very intuitive. I’m happy to help you with that.” I know my approachability is felt and appreciated by students and faculty.

More specifically, I would say there are four key points I always strive to keep in mind when I’m teaching, regardless of what I’m teaching, the situation, or the context.

• First of all, I believe the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education should be the backbone of everything that I, as an information professional in higher education, should do when working with students.
• Second, I prefer whenever possible to take the Guide-on-the-Side approach in my classroom, as opposed to the Sage-on-the-Stage. Students get more out of instruction when they are partners in the learning process.
• Third, I like to incorporate fun, active learning components into my instruction sessions. Students learn better when there's more 'doing' and less 'lecturing.'
• Lastly, I try to remember what it was like being a college student. Many students are apprehensive about approaching a librarian for help, so being very approachable and compassionate are values that I incorporate into my philosophy of teaching.

I recognize that the First-Year Experience for any college student is often a time of trepidation and self-discovery. I believe that the library and those who work within it can play a positive and integral role in every student’s personal and academic success. From face-to-face interaction at the Reference Desk to modeling a robust Information Literacy Program, I believe every step along the way provides an opportunity to connect with students in a way that fosters lifelong learning by building critical thinking skills.

My passion? To provide the most enriching and engaging First-Year Library Experience to every student I encounter. My mission? To continue to provide that same experience throughout every student’s college career. Compassion is my guiding philosophy; engaging teaching and instruction are my practices. Combined, these elements allow me to achieve my mission as a librarian.