Contents

Teaching & Design
Summary
Teaching Positions
Philosophy
Intro. Astronomy
Elementary Methods
Computer Methods
Elementary Teaching
Ivy Tech
High School
Oregon Adventure
STREAMS

Teaching and Curriculum Design: Teaching Philosophy

Education is a social process ... Education is growth ... Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself. -John Dewey Learning is a lifelong process which takes place in a variety of environments. In a classroom setting, learning involves challenging, motivating, and inspiring students to think, probe, and explore their understanding of a topic in an active and stimulating manner.  To that end, effective teaching involves a great deal more than standing in front of students and conveying to them the “facts” of a discipline. For me, teaching is a collective and reflective enterprise in which teachers and students (at all levels) learn from each other and each other’s experiences in a respectful and thoughtful environment.  Specifically, my role as a teacher is to (a) encourage students to continually ask questions about why and how we know something, (b) help students develop the skills needed to answer their questions, (c) awaken students' passions to become life-long learners, (d) help students appreciate and respect varying perspectives. As a teacher I must try to personalize instruction to meet the needs of each student without compromising the core standards of excellence. In accomplishing this goal, I draw heavily from the principles of social constructivism. From this perspective my role as teacher shifts from one of telling students correct answers to guiding student activity while students direct and reflect on their evolving understanding. I believe that education, especially science, mathematics, and technology education, should extend beyond the classroom. I also strongly believe that if instruction is to be successful, students need to realize that the content they are learning in the classroom impacts their personal lives. In my classrooms and in my curriculum design work, I strive to develop rich learning contexts that support students in examining their own understanding and beliefs so that they can work collaboratively as they face and overcome challenges. To do this, I encourage a safe, respectful environment in which students can express their beliefs and challenge others' assumptions and beliefs. I also make extensive use of technology as a tool to assist my students in understanding complex scientific phenomena. I use technology to connect different communities to one another such as having pre-service teachers interact with in-service teachers and having students share their work with other students. The classroom represents different learning styles and preferences, cultural diversity, a wide-range of career aspirations, and varying skill and knowledge levels. This diversity presents a continual challenge in developing assessments, particularly with the rise and importance of national and state education standards. However, in any class, I believe all students have the ability to succeed and as such traditional assessment may not truly gauge what each student has learned or how far they have progressed. To this end, I use performance-based assessments such as portfolios and student presentations to assess student learning. As a teacher, I remember that trust, mutual respect, and a good attitude create an environment in which students are more willing to participate, learn, and most of all, think. I am deeply committed to undergraduate and K-12 teaching and am eager to contribute to the development and progress of a department that seeks to provide its students with opportunities to flourish.