Philosophy of Teaching
Teaching to Transform
My teaching is informed by constructivist approaches to teaching such as those proposed by Piaget, Vygotsky and Papert. Papert argues that transformative teaching begins with examining the relationship between ideas and power. This relationship takes three forms. First an idea is “experienced as powerful in its use (727, emphasis in original). Second, an “idea is powerful in its connections (727, emphasis in original). Last, an idea is “powerful in its roots and its fit with personal identity” (727, emphasis in original). Therefore, my approach to teaching moves away from a 'banking' model of education, which assumes that learners are containers into which fact/knowledge are deposited. Instead, I begin from the assumption that learners are situated learners and teaching has the power to transform how they view and interact with ideas.
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Education starts to empower learners by exposing them to new ideas. These new ideas are made powerful through the connections students are able to make between these ideas, previous knowledge, and their social worlds. Teaching provides the educator with the opportunity to both impart knowledge and to transform student lives by teaching them to critically engage with their social worlds. A critical education provides students with multiple lenses through which to view and analyze their social worlds.
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As a feminist teacher of colour, I am committed to providing an inclusive classroom environment which celebrates the goals of empowerment, critical thinking and participatory/constructivist learning and which encourages and utilizes multiple styles of learning and expression. I am committed to celebrating diversity of ideas and expression (both within and outside of the classroom) and encouraging critical reflection on these issues.
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As an educator, I recognize that students learns in diverse ways. Therefore, I try to offer a number of different approaches that will appeal to different learning styles. By utilizing a formal lecture style (instructor led) along with a more relaxed, casual interactive style (student/instructor led) I hope to provide each student with the opportunity to not only learn in the ways that they are most comfortable, but also in ways that encourage their academic growth through the use of strategies that they may be unfamiliar with. I promote active engagement in large-class discussions as well as small-group discussions, as I believe that most students learn best through encouraged dialogue.
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In-class questions, discussions, and debates are most successful when students respect other students’ right to speak, to be heard and to be respected. A focus on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization and Anti-racism (EDIDA) is central to providing an inclusive classroom. This includes providing learners with clear guidelines that are respectful of diversity of all kinds, including but not limited to diversity of learning style, sexuality, gender, ‘race’, class, culture, and ability.
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Course readings are deliberately varied both in difficulty, authorship and in the subjects that they address. Where possible, I try to include readings from a number of different fields in order to appeal to the diverse backgrounds and interests of the students in the class. Further, students are also encouraged to bring in ideas and literature from outside of class as they begin to make connections between what they are learning and other ideas they encounter in other classes or in their social worlds.
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The importance of recognizing diversity in learning styles is also important when planning for evaluation. Therefore, assignments are also designed to address this through varied format. In most classes, learners will have opportunities to participate in discussions, give an oral presentation of their own work, engage in active critique and feedback on the work of others, work in small groups, and creatively construct and reflect on how ideas relate to their own lives. Learners are encouraged to creatively use their own experiences, where relevant, to engage with ideas covered in the course. Whenever possible, learners are encouraged to further explore ideas that excite them and to move beyond classroom material. Providing them with choices in the forms that their assessment takes also empowers them to take ownership of their learning.
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