Teaching ePortfolio > Personal Statement on Teaching
The instructional principles I try to implement in my teaching are the intersections of theory I was exposed to in pedagogy classes for the M.A. in English at the University of Memphis, pedagogical theories I was introduced to as a graduate teaching consultant at the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, instructional design theory and applications I was familiarized with in the Ph.D.-level classes at North Carolina State University, the experience putting these theories into practice in the classes I have taught, and recollections of what strategies of my own teachers worked or did not work for me as a student. From this valuable experience and experimentation, I have concluded that I prefer a classroom where students are actively involved and contribute to the teaching/learning process, which I see as conducted in both directions: from teacher to student and student to teacher. I think that the 80/20 rule, with the students speaking 80% of the class time, and the teacher speaking 20% of the time, though hard to implement for the teacher, is conducive to learning by doing. It is precisely the abilities learned this way that we as humans remember the longest. I do not believe in the role of a teacher as an all-knowing lecturer, but as a facilitator for learning. Rather than considering myself a teacher with all the right answers, I would like to think of myself as a teacher with all the right questions. I think the latter is also infinitely harder to do than the former. It is a challenge for the teacher, but a more rewarding experience in the long run, because the students experience a greater sense of accomplishment, which reflects in their relationship with the teacher and, more importantly, with the subject matter. This is something that as an instructor, I will be working toward perpetually.
I am a very energetic person, and hence a very energetic teacher. I like to keep the students’ energy levels high, as well. I believe that if there is energy in a room or a class, time flies, students and teacher alike are enjoying themselves, and the students do not even realize that they are learning. As a student, my favorite and best teachers were those who facilitated my learning without me realizing it. It is this environment that I like to contribute to as a teacher as well. At the same time, I feel that a relaxed class atmosphere is also very valuable for the students. It is one of my goals as a teacher to put the students at ease with the subject matter and with me, and to create a sense of a community within the class. I believe that only a relaxed atmosphere can allow the students to be comfortable enough to ask questions, which in turn benefits their learning process.
I think of myself as an eclectic teacher. Since I have taught mostly language classes, I can only speak of my experiences relating to teaching foreign language. Apart from teaching “from the book,” I like to also implement additional class activities, which are, in my opinion, just as valuable for the students, if not even more valuable. Textbooks do not offer enough realistic scenarios for the students to use their knowledge and are often too restricted to grammar-based and linguistics-based approaches to language. In my opinion, elements of the real world also have to be present in order to make the learning meaningful and valuable, which for me is a very important goal as an instructor. Therefore, I have developed exercises based on films, music, and literature created for audiences of native speakers. Similarly, while I think the theory of teaching is important, I believe that it is experiences with students, teaching, and learning from other instructors’ experiences that in the real world create a good teacher.
I feel that there is much to be learned from observation comments, as well as from conversations with other instructors, and for these reasons I welcome observation and discussions regarding pedagogical strategies and best practices. I believe that instructors are to a certain extent experimenters, who have to be fluent in a variety of teaching approaches to accomodate various topics, learning styles, and student interests in our diverse classrooms. I also take student evaluations seriously and attempt to improve the course contents as well as adapt my teaching style to best serve the students' needs and encourage life-long learning.
I am a very energetic person, and hence a very energetic teacher. I like to keep the students’ energy levels high, as well. I believe that if there is energy in a room or a class, time flies, students and teacher alike are enjoying themselves, and the students do not even realize that they are learning. As a student, my favorite and best teachers were those who facilitated my learning without me realizing it. It is this environment that I like to contribute to as a teacher as well. At the same time, I feel that a relaxed class atmosphere is also very valuable for the students. It is one of my goals as a teacher to put the students at ease with the subject matter and with me, and to create a sense of a community within the class. I believe that only a relaxed atmosphere can allow the students to be comfortable enough to ask questions, which in turn benefits their learning process.
I think of myself as an eclectic teacher. Since I have taught mostly language classes, I can only speak of my experiences relating to teaching foreign language. Apart from teaching “from the book,” I like to also implement additional class activities, which are, in my opinion, just as valuable for the students, if not even more valuable. Textbooks do not offer enough realistic scenarios for the students to use their knowledge and are often too restricted to grammar-based and linguistics-based approaches to language. In my opinion, elements of the real world also have to be present in order to make the learning meaningful and valuable, which for me is a very important goal as an instructor. Therefore, I have developed exercises based on films, music, and literature created for audiences of native speakers. Similarly, while I think the theory of teaching is important, I believe that it is experiences with students, teaching, and learning from other instructors’ experiences that in the real world create a good teacher.
I feel that there is much to be learned from observation comments, as well as from conversations with other instructors, and for these reasons I welcome observation and discussions regarding pedagogical strategies and best practices. I believe that instructors are to a certain extent experimenters, who have to be fluent in a variety of teaching approaches to accomodate various topics, learning styles, and student interests in our diverse classrooms. I also take student evaluations seriously and attempt to improve the course contents as well as adapt my teaching style to best serve the students' needs and encourage life-long learning.