These are the essential principles that guide my life as an educator: to always have an open door policy, to encourage active and respectful communication, to always give prompt feedback, to encourage a global awareness of today’s changing society, and to both communicate and demonstrate the expectation of personal responsibility. These elements combine to address the needs of the whole student.
An open door
It is imperative to have an open door policy so students can feel safe to express concerns and seek clarification or guidance of a personal or academic nature.
Fortunately, students are comfortable trusting my insight and expressing their sentiment about particular problems. However, many students do not have individuals whom they trust to look out for their best interests, including being a positive support system. Students are encouraged to actively communicate in my class, both during lectures and online, because it is understood we are learning in a place safe from harassment, condemnation, and ridicule.
Active and respectful communication
It is important to learn to effectively communicate with a diverse group of people. Today’s society is changing demographically and globally and this is a fact students must be prepared to face. For example, people of color are comprising a larger proportion of the demographic population of the United States. Also, more countries are deciding to connect globally, economically, politically, and technologically. This has reached a point that any degree of negative or positive fluctuation in one country can affect the others.
Personal responsibility
In the diverse collective of every learning community, it is important for individual students to take responsibility for their academic and personal success. I am dedicated to assisting my students to become productive and active members of their communities, but they must understand that it will take their hard work, dedication, and sheer effort to achieve their life goals.
Being empathetic, passionate, and genuine are the qualities that set me apart as a teacher. I am aware that life may bring surprises and situations without prior warning. For example, it is not uncommon for a student to experience a sickness or death in the family in the middle of the semester. My first concern is to make sure that the student is in a stable state of mind and have encouraged counseling as a precaution to protect their mental health. Then, we can discuss alternative assignments or revised due dates. I have found that students are more productive and confident personally and academically when their professor shows authentic empathy and understanding of their well-being. I am passionate about my belief system and carry this optimism and social conviction into the classroom.
Global awareness
As an educator, it is my responsibility to not only address the social inequalities in society but to help develop a practical solution. Subsequently, I encourage this same passion in my students because optimism can be contagious. I often inform students that their passion and purpose can be synonymous. Taking an educational opportunity also represents an opportunity to help the marginalized and less fortunate in society.
Prompt feedback
Being an educator has tangible and intangible benefits that are very rewarding. The most rewarding experience is seeing students improve over the course of the semester, watching them begin to grown self-confidence that shows in their classwork in response to my feedback and that of their peers.
The whole student
My overall concern is the total health and well-being of my students so they can flourish as productive members of society.
My teaching goals are to holistically prepare students for an ever-changing global society, to encourage continual personal and professional development, to increase social awareness and positively work to eliminate social injustices, and to prepare students to collaborate with individuals from different demographic backgrounds.
It is important to have the flexibility to adjust to an ever-changing global society. Ideas, practices, and procedures are constantly changing to better address problems and immediate concerns. Students must have effective communication and critical thinking skills to address pertinent issues with competence, awareness, and sound judgement.
Realistic scenarios
In my courses, I create realistic scenarios and discuss modern issues that students may encounter in the workforce. Personally, I believe that continual personal and professional development is the cornerstone of always evolving into a morally sound and socially aware individual.
Continuing academic pursuits, continually exercising and practicing one’s spiritual faith, and becoming active in civic organizations to address social injustice are a few examples of refining oneself to constantly become a better reflection of the future.
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. said: “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.”
That is a sentiment I have embraced as a student and as a teacher. My discipline is an extension of my passion, purpose, and mission. My profession grants me the unique opportunity to inspire students to think outside the box and get outside their comfort zone in order to empathize with others and to critically analyze social issues of importance and significance. As a maturing scholar, I am learning how to create a narrative for my students by putting social issues in a modern context they can understand. Essentially, I constantly strive to encourage my students to leave the world a better place than the way they found it.
Damon J. Bullock, PhD teaches criminal justice and sociology at the university and graduate level. His contribution to How I Teach is a welcome addition to Professor Services’ efforts to expand the discussion of teaching and learning from individual perspectives.
As an employment services company supporting academic workers in their job searches, Professor Services encourages all instructors to think clearly about their approaches, methodologies and perspectives. Articulating these considerations will make it easier to write your Teaching Philosophy Statement that must be included with all job applications.
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