MS Word Version

PDF Version

     The learning process is a cycle in which an old skill or concept is replaced by a new one through a series of steps. As a teacher my main function is to intervene in this process and facilitate the students' learning. I am an enthusiastic communicator who attempts to mediate the transition from a state of not-knowing a subject to understanding it. This requires a safe and positive environment that is emotionally non-threatening and rewarding.

     As a teacher my responsibility is to serve as a guide and a mentor on an intellectual journey, opening and broadening curious minds by exposing them to new ideas and thoughts. I focus on building self-confidence in my students so that they feel empowered to face and solve new problems and challenges. I respect students' needs and abilities, recognizing there are many ways to learn effectively. As an instructor, I approach each class differently. In the first class session, I evaluate the students' background, determine what motivates them to take that particular class and evaluate how students in my class integrate and apply information. To some extend, I attempt to have a clear idea of how each individual student learns best. I adapt my teaching accordingly, using a combination of methods that suits different learning styles rather than imposing a predetermined approach to the entire class. With patience, humor and tolerance for the occasional false start or stumble, I teach students that they are capable of more than they have had a chance to recognize. It is important to convey that no one, including myself, knows the answer to all questions. I am confident and courageous enough to show not knowing all the answers, in order to make my students fellow inquirer into knowledge.

     The goal is to teach students various ways of acquiring, analyzing, and evaluating information and solving problems. I strive to create a solid foundation of the subject matter and convey to students the relevance of the subject matter to their lives and future careers. A teacher-student relationship based on good communication and honesty is important. I believe that a student-centered environment is critical for learning. Therefore, I turn the class into an interactive, group-orientated environment where students learn the opportunity to confront new ideas and different points of views while defending their own critical thinking. This environment allows me to synthesize and solidify what I plan to teach.

     I like to keep students up to date and help them think about themselves beyond the classroom walls by sharing with them what I learn through reading recent scholarly articles, and attending conferences and workshops. This enables them to glimpse a picture of somebody working in my field of study and gives them the opportunity to make informed decisions about their future career. I do not strictly enforce  class attendance; instead, I strive to teach as interestingly as possible to attract them to the class. As an educator, I greatly value the importance of being available to students outside the classroom. I make myself available for work with groups of students in the department, advising individual projects, and helping students with their problems.

     I am committed to life-long learning and thus learning while continuing to improve my own teaching techniques is a priority in my teaching philosophy. This is accomplished by learning from my mistakes and the challenges I have encountered in the past. I look at old syllabi or instructional resources I have created. I always question the assumptions I made in developing these products in order to improve them. Discussions with colleagues and professional experience outside the classroom, along with getting feedback from students are important tools for improving my teaching technique. By giving students biweekly questionnaires, I receive direct feedback and suggestions on my teaching performance. A key factor in assessing the effectiveness of my teaching is by evaluating the students’ growth. This is accomplished through the assigned homework, quizzes and exams. After each homework, I ask students if the assignments have helped them learn the concepts better.

     As a teacher my greatest hope is to teach my students that discipline, dedication, critical thinking, and passion are all crucial tools for building character as well as a career. This, for me, is a noble and rewarding challenge.