And So It Goes

I recently wrote out my teaching philosophy for a job application, and I found it to be an enlightening exercise. I realized that while I constantly put this philosophy into practice, I have never actually tried to articulate it in writing before. Though I probably could have gone on for twenty more pages about the things that feel make me an effective teacher, I think the following reflects the core values of my teaching philosophy:

Strong communication skills are essential to success in life. As a communication instructor I strive to help my students build their communication skills by employing two important concepts: purpose and respect. First, I believe that teaching should be purposeful. Teaching involves more than simply reciting textbook information to the students. Every lesson is designed to achieve a specific purpose and build a specific skill. I believe in using class time to cultivate understanding of the material and show the students how to apply that knowledge to their coursework. Also, for every chapter, assignment, lesson or activity, I discuss with my students how the knowledge and experience they are gaining will be useful to them beyond the classroom. Furthermore, I believe that learning can be both purposeful and fun. When students are enjoying the lesson, they will not only remember it better, but they will also be more engaged in the learning experience.

The second tenet of my teaching philosophy is respect. A classroom is not a homogenous group of people. Each student has a distinct personality and learning style, and should be treated with respect to that uniqueness. I take the time to learn who each student is as an individual so that I can make the course material relevant to everyone in the class. I encourage openness and mutual respect so that students feel comfortable expressing ideas and opinions. It is equally important that students learn about each other as individuals. Public speaking usually causes students a great deal of anxiety, so cultivating an environment where students regularly interact with each other makes them feel more comfortable when giving speeches. Finally, I take the time to sincerely listen to my students because their feedback helps me improve upon my own teaching. Every semester I find that even though I am the one teaching my students, there is always something new I learn from them.