Teaching Philosophy

Since secondary school, I have been teaching others in one form or another, be it through tutoring or course lectures. I am very passionate about teaching and believe that the exchange of information amongst individuals is essential for the advancement of science and continued education of future generations. Students deserve the best education possible and should not learn information solely to pass a course; they should also be able to incorporate feedback to develop their critical thinking skills for real world use. Both educators and students play a crucial role in making all of this possible. My teaching philosophy consists of three main elements designed to educate students while also helping them develop as active participants in our modern world.

Critical Thinking Development. In every course I teach, the goal is not to learn material solely to pass a course. Students also should be developing critical thinking skills. To make this skill development happen, I provide students with assignments that require usage of analytical skills rather than pure recitation of concepts. Feedback is a crucial aspect of developing this skill; thus, I also review assessments/major assignments in class to encourage students to improve upon their past work.

Active Learning and Real-life Application. Acquired knowledge should not be restricted to the classroom space. Students also should be able to see how psychological concepts apply to real-life situations. Engaging students in active learning via relevant, real-life examples helps them learn the importance and context of the material they are learning while fostering excitement over the subject matter. I use active learning techniques such as class demonstrations and audiovisual presentations to provide students with an appealing way of learning and retaining course material.

Respectful Learning Environment and Responsibility. A successful and respectful learning environment requires responsibility from both educators and students. Everyone within the classroom should respect one another’s differences to create a welcoming environment for intellectual discourse. As an educator, I hold myself responsible for thoroughly preparing course materials beforehand, clearly conveying my expectations, and providing support for students who seek it. I also expect students to be responsible by preparing for each class and becoming involved in classroom discussions. With each party holding up the appropriate responsibilities, the educational environment can be pleasant and benefit everyone who is involved.