My philosophy of teaching

My teaching philosophy is deeply embedded in my overarching philosophy of life. I believe that everything students learn should be closely related to their own experiences. Thus I find teaching a way to inspire and empower students for both personal and career growth. 

I sincerely believe that the relationship between teaching and learning is an intrinsic one. I see successful teaching as an interaction rather than a mere transmission of knowledge. I see myself as a facilitator of learning that serves to develop students’ critical skills by closely interacting with them within a meaningful context in a positive learning environment where they employ logic and reasoning. 

As students do not come to class as blank slates, my teaching method is to build on their existing knowledge and views. Catering to every individual student’s needs and abilities is important to me. I invite my students to share their knowledge and concerns so they have a sense of ownership over their learning. I emphasize two learning concepts in class: collaborative learning and meaningful interaction.

Beyond the instructor and class material, students can learn a great deal from each other. My students learn in a friendly and stimulating environment where everybody contributes towards a common goal. While students engage in discussion with the instructor and their peers, they ultimately take responsibility for their own learning. 

I firmly believe that the concepts students learn should be clearly presented so they can integrate them into their own life experience. As a writing instructor and journalist, I encourage my students to reflect upon writing as an inseparable part of their daily experience with a public dimension as it accompanies certain ideological, social, and economic roles. I also encourage them to develop critical thinking skills through reflecting upon the world around them as a rich source of good topic ideas that engender effective writing. I also encourage them to bring out their own ideas and develop their arguments into writing that is truly worth reading. 

I want my students to feel personally and positively changed as they actively participate in my classes, and walk away with new knowledge and newly developed critical thinking skills.  

Finally, I don’t see any dividing line between teaching and research. Teachers need to know the nuts and bolts of recent scholarship in their fields to inform their teaching methods and display the dynamics of the field in class.