Teaching philosophy

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STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS

              My teaching objectives for myself and for the students in my classes are:

Instructor
1.    To inspire students to learn more about literature and composition through
their own exploration even after the semester ends.
2.    To teach the techniques of close reading to aid the interrogation of texts
3.    To encourage students to pursue publication
4.    To treat the contributions of every student as valuable
5.    To create a classroom atmosphere that invites student participation

Students
1.    To be able to apply critical theory in rudimentary form to literary works
2.    To situate their own writing within areas of critical theory
or to reject critical theory as viable as a whole or in part
3.    To envision texts as part of a continuum of discourse: residual, dominant, and emergent
4.    To understand the importance of author’s biography and historical and cultural background
as these impact the creation of text
5.    To view themselves as legitimate writers
6.    To value the pursuit of research and knowledge in all forms
7.    To embrace the adventure of reading and writing for themselves and for other authors

I am dedicated to pedagogy in theory and in practice. This dedication has led me to seek varied experiences as an educator: writing curriculum and piloting new courses in composition, team teaching, working in computer-assisted classrooms, instructing on-line classes, and serving as the English department liaison to Computer Services. My teaching methods include lecture, inquiry, written and oral exercises and tests, and group work. I believe that all students learn best through kinesthetic assignments (although I finesse visual and auditory modalities in the lessons I teach as well). Major surveys of students over the past decade in the United States have proven kinesthetic learning to be the most viable teaching technique. I am convinced that students learn more in an atmosphere where they feel safe to share their knowledge and where they are in charge of teaching information to the rest of the class. Although collaborative group work may appear to only apply to the instruction of composition, I have found that it works very effectively with literature classes as well. In all of my undergraduate classes, the students choose classmates to form a study group. Many times, I use structured activities assigned to student study groups to solicit response; I have the study groups make presentations to the class, work on collaborative writing assignments, and help absentees with backwork.

All of my students are exposed to linguistics, analysis, interpretation, criticism, and study skills. I feel that it is important for the professor to be prepared, organized, and clear; I start each class with an agenda either on the board, overhead, handout, or PowerPoint. I orient the students to the tasks for the day, recap the past, and preview future class experiences. Often, I lecture for about 30 minutes or role model what I want the students to do, and then students work in a lab situation with their study groups for the remainder of class as I circulate through class to give individual assistance. On other days, the groups make presentations and I referee class discussion. I use Aristotle’s concepts of ethos (establishing and using my authority), pathos (bonding with each individual student), logos (organizing class time wisely and articulating logical purposes for class activities), and kairos (timing my lessons for maximum effect), and I illustrate for the student’s how they can utilize Aristotle’s precepts within the curriculum of that particular class.

My forte is negotiating and facilitating discussion; I include bits of lecture material within this student-oriented exercise. I purposefully link course material to contemporary issues and culture. I am also gifted in transitioning from activity to activity making a seamless and interwoven educational experience for the student. Every semester, my student evaluation comments reveal that I have swayed die-hard opponents to writing and reading, because my great enthusiasm and fascination with composition and literature is infectious. I create an atmosphere in my classroom that invites the participants to open up to thinking and to expression. I accomplish this by giving positive verbal validation to any and all ideas expressed by my students. I also do not stand behind the podium (a barrier between student and instructor), and I rarely sit. I stand in a variety of places when I instruct which activates the classroom. I sit only when students are presenting to the class, giving the spotlight of authority to the student. I use jokes, gesture, and facial expression to warm up the students to learning. I am always professionally dressed.

I have a wide range of classroom experience including students of every race and of ages from 15 to 60. I give each student personal attention; I know all of my students names by the second day of class. I am adept at personalizing lessons to suit the special needs of students in my classes; I observe my students carefully and tailor each lesson to maximize every student’s comprehension. If a lesson is not effective, I try a different approach during the next class session. During impromptu questioning, I patiently wait for response; I do not immediately jump in and give the students the answer if there is a long silence. Their answers are often more interesting and accurate than my canned response to a question and worth the wait. Every semester, I am amazed and inspired by student insight that, in turn, encourages me to dig deeper into the course material.

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