Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

My approach to educating students is a multi-faceted endeavor that primarily involves being aware of students' individual needs and situations and making what they learn relevant to their lives. I believe students need to construct meaning in what they are learning. I accomplish these facets by fostering a good rapport with students, providing assignments centered around student choice and autonomy, and creating a learning community.

Learning starts with students' foundational experiences. Students need to relate what they are learning to prior understandings and formulate practices within their current learning environment. Culturally responsive teaching embraces students' cultural capital and reveals the strength of their experiences in the learning process. I empower my students to recognize their cultural capital and abilities and utilize them to learn and grow. I employ the practical application of theories and concepts in praxis through projects, exercise, and dialogue.

Building relationships with students is key to my teaching style. By building rapport with my students, I can better adapt my lessons and courses to empower students through education. In building trusting relationships with my students, I can create an environment where they feel seen, supported, and encouraged. Students know they can approach me, that I am there to help and mentor them, and trust me to guide them in learning and life. When students feel supported, they will feel the freedom to experiment, be creative, and make mistakes. Empowering students to become the best version of themselves is my goal and achieving this goal is only possible if I build trusting relationships with my students.

As an educator, I understand the importance of encouraging students to pursue their interests, have autonomy in their learning, and have the space to practice creativity without fear of failure. Good educators create learning experiences that appeal to their students' need to learn and taps into their intrinsic motivation. I practice these humanist tendencies by allowing student choice, creating a welcoming and safe environment for experimentation and failure, and mentoring students. Students need to learn that failure is not bad but a learning experience to learn skills for more significant innovation. I cultivate this mentality by encouraging my students to reflect on what went wrong and the ways they can improve. The more students take ownership of their education, failures, and personal improvement, the more autonomy they will have in their lives.

Through the teaching practices mentioned above, I model the importance of inclusivity in any learning environment. As an educator, I must demonstrate how to facilitate a learning environment that promotes diversity, inclusion, and a feeling of belonging for students. In addition to connecting learning with student experiences, building relationships, and student autonomy, I seek to create a learning community. I promote collective practices such as dialogue, mutual respect, empathy, and support within this learning community. I make this community of learners by presenting them with varying perspectives and stories, which allows students to recognize the shared humanity of diverse people.