I Teach Like This...

Updated Teaching Philosophy

My philosophy of teaching asserts that students are entitled to quality instruction in an active and stimulating learning environment. Students should experience frequent and repeated opportunities to act, react, and interact with each other and the professor. Curriculum materials should be timely and relevant. Standards of excellence—high, yet attainable—should be used to facilitate optimal student learning.

Another aspect of my teaching philosophy is "hands-on" learning through relevant activities that give the learner a first-hand experience in a "real-world" situation. In teaching a web page creation course I would allow for each student to work on their own "live" web site that could be edited and reached from any Internet connection. I often took web design courses that had you learn the software and create, but never do anything actually "online." Real situations can teach much more when utilized in a course.

Finally, as teaching is a process, not an activity, my teaching philosophy offers an invaluable reflective view on “how to” strive for instructional improvement.