Teaching Philosophy

I have been fortunate enough to have been exposed to exceptional teachers during my formal education. These individuals have had a profound effect on how I interact with my students. The teachers who have made the most impact on me have been those who engaged students with meaningful material, clarified difficult material by breaking it down into components, and described the context of the material so that students were sure of its relevance. The developmental sessions I have attended have shown me that a teacher is more than an expert delivering knowledge to the students; an effective teacher is one who facilitates active involvement and learning of the students. The teacher is able to facilitate learning by giving appropriate and meaningful feedback, by challenging existing viewpoints in a supportive environment, and by acknowledging different learning styles and accommodating them to a reasonable extent.

My view of learning can be characterized in several ways. First, learning is an ongoing process involving expanding concepts. It is also an active process, involving engagement with the material. Previous knowledge provides a base for learning and is a springboard for future learning. Learning is built by associating concepts and practicing skills, rather than having knowledge delivered on a platter.

To implement my views of learning, several goals come to mind. First, my goal in teaching is to assist students in thinking critically both about the material and the course and interacting in a meaningful way with the material. A second goal is to have the students understand the relevance of the material and the continuity of the topics. As the course progresses, new concepts are built using previous knowledge and associations, so that students are able to see linkages between topics and understand the larger picture of the course. Finally, my goal is for students to take the knowledge they have learned and apply it within the course and in their lives beyond their studies. My area of expertise, human resources, is particularly relevant in day-to-day working life and my goal is for students to be able to apply their knowledge in their working lives.

In order to reach my teaching goals, I aim to be prepared to communicate with my students so that they are actively thinking. I make an effort to create an environment that is supportive but where students can be challenged. I endeavour to give appropriate and prompt feedback. I make an effort to ensure that the skills, knowledge, and abilities that I wish students to learn are surrounded by interesting and curiosity-inducing activities. Finally, I respect the backgrounds and thoughts of my students and trust that on the whole, students do wish to learn.