Teaching Philosophy
I believe that teaching is a field of inquiry; it is a teacher's responsibility to stay abreast of current theory and research in the field of teaching. A teacher must know what to teach as well as what is the best way to teach it.
Generally, I believe the role of a teacher is to be a facilitator; teachers should enable students to become responsible for their own learning. I believe that in order to be effective, teachers must have a great understanding of the subject matter being taught, teachers must know their students, teachers must respect students; we must believe that all students are capable, and that students have something to contribute. We must be aware of what students know when they come into the classroom as well as how to tap into that knowledge and build on it.
Teachers should be able to vary teaching styles and should expect students to participate in a mixture of lecture, discussion, and group activities. I recognize that students learn in different ways and I am committed to including all students in the learning process using a variety of modalities. We must try to ensure wide participation. Students should take away new insights, explanations, and skills from the classroom. Teachers must be committed to student success for we are responsible for making our subject matter accessible to those who do not yet know it. We must provide formative as well as summative feedback.
I believe being an effective teacher is a difficult task, but a teacher who accepts teaching as a challenge and as a responsibility will also find that the rewards well out weigh the effort.