Teaching Philosophy
I was attracted to studying political science because I wanted to gain a better understanding of how the U.S. political system truly functions as well as how and why the U.S. system varies from other political systems. My goal as a teacher is to transmit my curiosity about the world to my students and get them to become critical thinkers. I believe that a student has truly learned when they understand how the concepts they are taught in class relate to their own life and the world around them.
When it comes to teaching courses in political science, I think that it is important for students to get a clear understanding of all the dynamics associated with political systems. This requires that students understand how governments should run theoretically as well as how they work in reality. I believe that it is also important that students understand how human behavior impacts political systems at every facet. While textbooks and lectures are important for comprehending definitions and concepts; supplemental approaches are necessary to establish the link between concept and reality. It is important that students participate in the learning experience through class discussions, group projects, research and writing. Throughout my time teaching, I have found that documentaries and current event assignments are some of the best sources for getting students connected with the themes they learn in lecture. To assess student achievement, I utilize a variety of measurement tools including: several short quizzes, a few small projects and/or brief writing assignments, a larger project or writing assignment, and exams that contain a variety of question formats. I believe that a mastery of research and writing is necessary for all college students and vital to an educated work force. For introductory courses, I believe that several short critical writing assignments are useful for students to become engaged in the course material and it prepares them for writing assignments in upper level courses. For upper level courses, I believe that it is important for students to write a lengthy formal paper that requires them to utilize peer reviewed journals and other scholarly material. The skills that a student develops in constructing a well thought out and researched paper is paramount to knowledge acquisition and vital to their future careers. As an instructor I believe that is important that I constantly try to improve my students learning experience. The open-ended comments on my class evaluations have been vital to my growth as a educator. They have signified which learning approaches my students connected well with, and they have helped me improve areas where there were deficiencies. I am also open for learning and utilizing contemporary technologies in the classroom if they are beneficial to my students. My role as an educator does not end in the classroom. I find it rewarding to help students, and I want to support their success inside and outside my classroom. As a recent graduate I understand the value of a good advisor. I strive to be an excellent mentor and advisor to my students, helping them achieve the most out of their time in college and by serving as a reference for a student’s future endeavors. |
Course Syllabi |