Teaching Philosophy
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Establishing Student Expectations and Goals: A key aspect in the educational process is establishing my expectations from students and helping them set goals for themselves. Learning is a collaborative effort and I believe that students need to understand the roles of the instructor, their peers and themselves in the learning circle. This allows everyone to work together in the common goal of expanding their horizons and educational aptitudes in the subject matter being covered.
Provide Clear and Concise Instructions: Students cannot be expected to perform well in a setting where clear and concise instructions are not provided. I firmly believe that in an educational setting one of the instructor’s priorities should be to ensure that students have clear directions that allow them to work independently and reduce their dependency on the instructor for administrative classroom information. This in turn allows the instructor to focus on the more important needs of the class.
Provide Personalized Instruction: Every student is different and they are more than likely to learn differently from one another. This is the reason that I always strive to address the various educational and learning styles that a student may have. This involves setting aside the time to tailor a class or a given subject matter to the needs of the student.
Personal Attention: Student success is synonymous with personal attention. Students make an important time and monetary commitment when they decide to pursue their education. I am committed to my students and ensure that they receive the personal attention and time that they require. This increases the student’s morale and dedication to an educational program.
Constructive Feedback: I have learned that feedback to a student’s assignment and performance in a class must be both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative portion is more of a bookkeeping process to ensure that a student is given the correct numerical score on a given assignment. However, it is the qualitative notes and comments that allow a student see areas in which improvement is needed. It also outlines a roadmap for the student and provides orientation to a student to guide them to success.
Prompt and Effective Communication: We know that communication is paramount in an educational setting. However, for it to be effective it must be communicated in a prompt and expeditious manner. For that reason I always strive to be prompt in addressing student questions, comments or concerns.