My Teaching Philosophy
Principles
Let us take it for granted that a good teacher will offer well-prepared, structured and relevant content to his or her students. Beyond that, I believe that instructors should make sure that all of their students get the opportunity to find their own path in their chosen field of knowledge. Therefore, as a teacher, I always do my best to ensure that my students become self-sufficient learners. And while offering knowledge on the subject matter, I also provide each student with life-long skills, helping him or her to develop critical thinking strategies and the capacity to confront the unknown with successful problem-solving skills. In other words, while responding to the interests of my students, I also try to help them augment the number of things they are curious about in a creative way. I believe that when students become self-sufficient as learners, they also become more responsible people and develop a sense of respect for themselves and others.
The literature course and critical thinking
Today, everyone agrees on the importance of teaching students how to "think critically". Preparing my Dean's Teaching Fellowship course, I saw that critical thinking (represented by H. Siegel (1988), R. Ennis (1962), E. Glaser (1941)) addresses the concern that in universities and colleges, students' capacities for critical reasoning seem to have decreased. The authors I mentioned propose to reinforce students' skills in logic and the analysis of arguments. This emphasis on logic confuses thought with mere reasoning, neglects the importance of context and remains blind to processes of subjectivization, as well as to non-logical, or non-rational modes of interaction, symbolic reasoning and forms of imaginative appropriation -- almost everything that we call culture.
Without disputing the central role of logic in critical thinking, we would do well to reassess the importance of creativity, introspection and sensitivity in our thought processes. I think that a literature course is the ideal place to transmit cultural experience and the ideal place for in-depth training in the cultural complexity of critical thinking.
In the classroom
When I am constructing a lesson, instead of considering only the subject matter, I focus on the students' learning process, so that I may transmit knowledge in an efficient and engaging way.
I always do my best to include everyone in the learning process. Nobody should be excluded or left out. I make it a principle to know all my students by name by the end of the first week. I make every effort to underline the personal value of each of my students and encourage each of them to assume responsibility within the classroom setting in such a way that their respective qualities are valued.
Since I think it is the student and not the teacher who is the center of the classroom, I encourage direct interaction between students and I engage all my energy and enthusiasm to create a dynamic class where everybody participates. In my classroom, I tend to value both esprit de corps and independence, solidarity and respect for differences. I want my students to have a chance to learn from each other and to disagree.
To make sure that everyone benefits fully from the class, I generally present several perspectives on the same issue and vary my teaching style. In order to boost active assimilation of the material, I encourage my students to ask questions and formulate their own point of view. A good way to facilitate the learning process is to ask students to express their ideas on a given subject, and to help them transform their intuitions into analytical arguments. The teacher doesn't possess all the knowledge, and I regularly learn from the insights of my students.
As to the classroom atmosphere, my students tend to say in their evaluations that I am a friendly, fair and democratic teacher. They are also aware that I can be firm when necessary. I believe that a pleasant atmosphere is a good foundation for hard work. My job as a teacher does not begin at the classroom door; I am always available to my students; my office at Reed is open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, students know I am there for them, and I always do my best to answer all the questions that they might have.
Let me add that I think the teacher's job is not a lonely one: I value the exchange of views in the university's community; I always share my material, which I consider common property and I am grateful when my colleagues offer me the benefit of their experience.
Importance of research activity and continuous formation
Rather than seeing a conflict between teaching and the demands of research, I am convinced that I do my best teaching when I am in the process of learning new things, stretching myself, shaking up my own habits of thought. Good teachers are willing to constantly revise themselves, and present perspectives which are not necessarily their preferred ones. The teacher should be able to think "out of the box", to enrich his or her own perspective. Therefore, I think it important to value interdisciplinary approaches. It is also essential to keep connected with the latest discoveries in the field of pedagogy, adapting one's strategies constantly without embracing every trend.
Technology
While I am a "techie", I always try to restrain my taste for gimmicks, knowing that contact with the students is still the best way to stimulate the learning process. I constantly use technology whenever it reinforces the acquisition or the presentation of knowledge.