Philosophy of Teaching

Tina Worawongs

Throughout my educational career, I perceived the practice of teaching as solely restricted to standing in front of the classroom and lecturing on a specific subject. From a student’s perspective, the interaction between the professor and students would cease to exist once the course came to an end and was only confined to the classroom setting. As a student, I sometimes felt uncomfortable approaching my professors. My established relationships with professors lacked a sense of comfort and the ability to freely speak with them. However, my conceptualization of teaching and the teacher/student relationship underwent a transformation after meeting and having the opportunity to work with Dr. Michael Murrie at Pepperdine University. As his graduate assistant, I personally experienced how he structured his courses and most importantly, how he interacted with his students. Through his actions, Dr. Murrie conveyed that he was not only their college professor but an individual that truly cared about them as a student and as a human being. Although he established specific office hours, Dr. Murrie’s door was constantly open and students never once hesitated to stop by and ask him a few questions. The experience I had as a graduate assistant and advisee for Dr. Murrie lead me to reflect on my future role as a teacher and closely evaluate my conceptualization of the teaching and learning process. Before beginning my career in teaching, I hope to construct a pedagogical framework that reflects Dr. Murrie’s approach to teaching and student interaction.

According to Arnett (2000), late teens through the early twenties are a period of significant change and exploration (p. 469). These years are characterized as a period when students explore multiple directions in school, love, and their professional careers. Therefore, I believe that the courses students take during their college career are vital for the formation of their identity. At this point in their lives, students obtain the knowledge and skills necessary upon entering the professional world, along with developing their unique perspectives of the world. Therefore, as a future educator, I hope to construct a classroom environment that ensures constant open communication. Through establishing a strong relationship with each individual student, I hope that they will feel comfortable to approach me and also speak out during the course.

As a future teacher in the field of communications, it is vital to conceptualize and clearly define the teaching and learning process. I compare the learning process to a very long road trip that consists of continuous twists and turns and the teacher is in the driver’s seat during the course. Following the road map (the syllabus), the class may possibly encounter detours and roadblocks but hopefully the trip will be beneficial for both the students and the teacher. Although the teacher ultimately guides the students throughout the course, the idea of learning is a two way process that includes the students and the teacher. The course syllabus and the discussion topic may always be the same but each course can be characterized as different. Students are diverse and possess unique viewpoints, resulting in different responses along with contributing to a continuous learning process for the students and teacher. 

I believe the teaching process incorporates several designated tasks. As an educator, I plan on motivating the students, introducing them to the content, guide students through the course, pique their interest in the topic, and remove students from their comfort area. Throughout the teaching process, I hope to continuously ensure that the students are motivated. Based upon McKeachie’s (2006) perception of student motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation will promote educational productivity, understanding, involvement, and creativity (p. 142). Secondly, an important component of teaching is introducing the students to the topic and establishing a strong foundation within the discipline. The assignments, readings, discussions, and exams should help the students comprehend the specific topic and pique their interest to explore beyond the assigned tasks. Although these tasks are all equally necessary in the teaching process, I believe the most important goal for educators is to remove the students from their pre-established safety zone. Students should be exposed to new concepts and perspective which may influence the development of their viewpoints.

In the future, I plan on teaching international communication courses that are not only required but will also lay the foundation for all students within the communication major. These courses will introduce students to cultures and communication processes within regions extending beyond their geographical borders. The material introduced in these courses primarily deals with the global community and current situations, therefore, forcing students to look beyond the textbook. Due to the context of the course, I will not rely heavily on the traditional and didactic learning but intend to integrate a problem-based approach into the curriculum. Schulman (2004) describes problem-based learning as “pedagogies of engagement, understanding, performance, reflection, generativity, and finally, commitment” (p. 55). By employing this approach, I will be forcing students to grapple and attempt to understand real global situations that are not listed in the textbooks. Additionally, this form of learning will allow students to apply their knowledge and develop their analytical skills. The final capstone project in these courses reflects my emphasis problem-based learning. Students will take on the role as a United Nations Ambassador for a specific country. Within this role, one of their tasks involves evaluating the positive attributes and potential problems within the country’s established media system. This project is intended to stimulate active participation among the students and have them apply the knowledge and concepts gained through the course to realistic situations (McKeachie, 2006, p.223).  

            From my pedagogical stance, the primary characteristic that I hope to highlight throughout the course and emphasize in my lectures is the importance of communication. Similar to Dr. Murrie’s philosophy on teaching, I hope to instill the idea that students should be able to openly communicate their likes, dislikes, and needs throughout the course. On the other side, I will strive to effectively communicate the established goals of the course. Open communication will allow the students and teacher to adjust the curriculum to assist everyone in achieving their goals.

 The learning process is a road trip that takes the students and the professor towards uncharted territory. As the course progresses, the trip and final destination remains a mystery. Despite the ending point, the students and professor will hopefully learn and benefit from one another’s opinions.

 References

Arnett, J.J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469-480.

McKeachie, W. J., & Svinicki, M. (2006). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Schulman, L. (2004). Problem-based learning: The pedagogies of uncertainty. In Teaching as community property: Essays on higher education (p. 50-61). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.