Teaching Philosophy
My teaching approach is centered in the belief that imagination and knowledge are the catalysts that fuel a passion for the subject that will form the lifelong pursuit of my student’s lives. My first objective when I meet a new student is to strike the flint in hopes that at least a small flame will ignite within their minds. I believe that enthusiasm for my chosen career of Microbiology is contagious and every day I meet with my students I want to keep the fire burning ever brighter. While books can provide knowledge, I want to offer my students investments in group-based collaborations, critical thinking, and reflection, which are the fuel for innovations born of imagination.
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“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” ~ Socrates ~
I believe the best learning experience is based in collaboration whereby my students and I can learn together. This method of learning requires mutual respect and understanding. It also requires clear expectation of goals, boundaries, and rubrics. Since students are diverse, exhibiting various learning styles and interests, then education must be more adaptive if it is to be effective. From my own learning experience, I believe that traditional lecture and rote memory discourages independent thinking. To remedy this issue, I believe in a learning experience that invites students to get involved.
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.” ~ Isaac Asimov ~
I expect more of my students, and they in turn will get more. This does not translate to more work, but rather more critical thinking. For this reason, student participation is heavily weighted in my grading. In my classes, participation is so much more than attending class, and students take an active role in what they will learn. For instance, instead of 2 hours of traditional lecture, students can expect to read and come to class prepared to discuss the day’s topic. They are asked to bring in 2 critical thinking questions based on their readings, which will be discussed during class. These questions are collected at the end of class for roll and will then be used for online quizzes or class exams.
“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” ~ Chinese Proverb~
I think that group-based learning is an integral part of the learning process, since peers can often explain topics at a more efficient and effective level than the instructor can. It also provides the student with expanded sources and an opportunity to network. In a class of 120, the instructor has limited interaction time, but with groups, this is solved. For this reason, the first 15-20 minutes of class are dedicated to students discussing their questions with their assigned team members during which time I check with each group to facilitate when needed. After the team discussions, each group presents 1-2 topics that remain unresolved or require further explanation. From this I can tailor my lecture to what the students need or want to learn. It also offers students something they cannot attain from reading a book or the Internet; it provides the unique opportunity to think and understand by being involved.
I want my students to foster a connection with the course material. Everything in life is about relationships, including microbiology. For this reason, following discussion-driven lectures, I involve students in interactive activities designed to help students make connections between topics and real world applications. This may be a puzzle, group problem solving, song or dance (I do mean these literally). For instance, when discussing DNA synthesis, I involve the entire class in the DNA dance where each student represents different elements of the process. I find this type of mental mini-break provides students with stimulus to remember via kinesthetic application.
I want my students to foster a connection with the course material. Everything in life is about relationships, including microbiology. For this reason, following discussion-driven lectures, I involve students in interactive activities designed to help students make connections between topics and real world applications. This may be a puzzle, group problem solving, song or dance (I do mean these literally). For instance, when discussing DNA synthesis, I involve the entire class in the DNA dance where each student represents different elements of the process. I find this type of mental mini-break provides students with stimulus to remember via kinesthetic application.
“No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge.”
~ Kahlil Gibran ~
I feel that students make the most of the learning experience by reflecting on what has been discussed in class. With the help of technology this goal can be easily achieved. I advocate weekly online journal entries as part of student participation. The purpose of this exercise is to cultivate a weekly routine of thinking about topics further, outside the classroom.
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“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school,”
~ Albert Einstein ~
It is my goal to provide my students with a learning experience that will last long after finals. While I understand that not every student is destined for the life of a microbiologist or scientist, I consider the chance to offer students the opportunity to visit the wondrous world of science not just a responsibility but also an honor and privilege. If students leave my class with a positive aspiration for science, or at least for continuing their education, it is time well invested.
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." ~ Sir Issac Newton ~
This famous quote explains my primary motivation to teach. Building on the work of previous generations is the very foundation of science. Advancements for the betterment of society as a whole would not be possible without the teachings of those who came before. Nor is it possible for the leaders of today to continue to advance without the innovations that newer generations offer. I feel that every great scientist who pushes the edge of science forward has a responsibility to provide knowledge and to learn from the generations that will follow. By this method, we all have the opportunity to learn from one another, the professor bringing the knowledge of those who came before, the experience of the present and the students providing the ever unfolding, evolving wisdom of the future. This process is both necessary for the continued survival of the world while also being miraculous in that the sharing of knowledge is the string that holds us all together.