Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Long, long ago I decided to apply to law school. When I pronounced this decision to my creative writing professor, Joe Hurka, he balked: “You can’t be a lawyer!” He said this with such derision it truly shook me. He continued, looking me straight in the eye: “You are a teacher.” He sounded quite confident which surprised me. “What you have,” he said, “is empathy. It’s essential in any teacher worth his/her salt.” He left this important, albeit short, exhange on that strong note and it has resonated ever since. At that time I didn’t understand how important this idea of empathy would be to my vocation or how it would materialize in my classrooms, but since I began teaching three years ago it has become a bedrock from which I draw energy, ideas, and most importantly, connect with students.
Pedagogical studies have supported and made popular the “student-centered” classroom which I believe is, indeed, the most effective way to teach, but the degrees of difference in how teachers go about creating a “student-centered” classroom can vary greatly. In my own classroom I seek to foster a desire and appreciation among the students to think analytically, creatively pursue knowledge, and work collaboratively. The classroom should ideally be a nurturing space where each individual voice is honored and also challenged. However, always hearing those voices, which at times are many, can be difficult. Every student walks into the classroom with different questions and perspectives, but often they must be coaxed to voice them. My job is to give these students the support to question, analyze, and ultimately communicate their ideas. Here, empathy connects us, conveying the idea: We’re in this together, struggling to make sense of the text and the thoughts before us. I am an equally engaged student, learning from the texts as well as the students.
Class discussions, rather than lecturing, are more conducive to student interaction and learning. Although I do sometimes lecture it is rarely more than fifteen minutes at a time. Students have different needs and learning styles and so I try to calibrate the way we read and discuss class material based on students’ reactions during the class. Throughout discussions I encourage students to participate and volunteer questions. In turn, I ask them questions of my own, such as: do you need other examples? Have I defined this word so that you understand it in this context? What needs further explication? Do you follow the meaning here? These inquiries often prompt deeper readings and relate the work at hand more clearly. Individual conferences with students throughout the semester also help me to gauge each students’ needs and clarify any questions they may have.
Each semester I expect students will want to discuss their ideas, want to write brilliant essyas, want to read the required texts, and inevitably some resist all of this. But I’ve found that a positive outlook and expectation is more likely to generate effort among students than expecting the worse. I can’t help but want my students to feel the same level of enthusiasm for reading and literature that I do. I try to convey this desire in every class meeting, but usually there are some students who just don’t catch the fervor. But for those students I try to at least inspire an appreciation for the work of others. What I want for all my students is to walk away from my class with the intent to actively pursue a career of learning. Whether they do this or not, I may never know. However, it is important that I carry this goal with me into the classroom everyday and model it in my own teaching practices.
