“Students look for qualities in their teachers that we all would like to see in ourselves such as integrity, passion, commitment, and enthusiasm. The leadership challenges in teaching are to exemplify these qualities. In meeting these challenges, great teachers leave an imprint that remains long after the information they dispersed has faded. Such teachers are remembered as the mentors, the educators, the guides—memories that only grow stronger with age" —Dr. J.H. Donnelly, Jr.
First noticing these words while teaching American Government at the University of Kentucky, they still serve as a summation of my overall philosophy of teaching. I view myself as a challenging yet caring instructor desiring to help students gain, develop, and create knowledge. It is my hope that students will leave my classroom with a deeper understanding and appreciation for how political institutions and behaviors intersect within modern society.
My teaching philosophy began years before stepping into a classroom as an educator. During each summer of my undergraduate career, I completed a government internship in Washington D.C. These experiences provided me with firsthand knowledge of the political process while complementing my academic studies. I returned to campus with a new perspective on the political world. Realizing that all individuals do not have these opportunities, my pedagogical focus provides students with the ability to engage the “real world” of politics through major course assignments and other classroom experiences.
Introductory level courses provide opportunities to impart basic knowledge on a given subject. As many may not have thought about politics before these courses, I seek to provide continual opportunities for students to become more intelligent and analytical consumers of information—skills that are essential in an age where political knowledge is continually available due to the continual news cycle and wealth of digitally-based resources.
Different learning goals are appropriate as students declare a major field and begin taking intermediate-level coursework. At this stage, I focus on the development of knowledge, including my second learning objective of facilitating linkages between theoretical concepts and current events. These assignments require a bit of independent research to complete, allowing class members to expand their knowledge of political science and how it relates to the outside world. Continuing my main educational practice of bridging academic theories with their real-life application, assignments at this level engage students further in the discipline while learning politics and honing analytical techniques important to success in any profession.
My advanced-level courses require students to demonstrate a third learning goal—the creation of knowledge—discovering new information and synthesizing material in a practical context. I enjoy teaching undergraduate research methodology because I am able to expose students to thinking about the science of political science. I present my own work in progress during the early weeks of the semester as examples of how researchers go about choosing a suitable topic, developing theories and hypotheses, gathering data, and writing results. These three learning goals, focusing on gaining, developing, and discovering knowledge, provide students with a deeper understanding and appreciation of our country’s political system while equipping them with the critical thinking skills required for being successful in life following graduation.
I see my role in the classroom as a guide, pointing my students to experience knowledge for themselves. This objective is partially achieved by using other teaching methods such as active learning techniques, simulation exercises, and utilizing guest speakers to further relate course content to real-world political events. Simulation activities, such as the Moot Court exercise in my Constitutional Law course, allow students to demonstrate analytical thought while critically engaging with course material. A final opportunity to promote learning occurs through guest speakers. One example occurs in my Congressional Politics where a former Member of Congress “visited” students through a Skype conversation. Students were able to ask questions and listen to someone who had been active in Washington D.C. politics.
Education is a continual endeavor and personal improvement as an educator is no exception. Earning a Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning while completing doctoral work at the University of Kentucky allowed me to begin reflecting on my teaching practices, including the use of instructional technology. The end of every semester provides a way to improve classroom performance through student evaluations. In the past, I have also employed midterm evaluations to be able to make positive changes to a course currently in session. I continue to chronicle my progression as an educator through writing a reflective teaching journal on how I am improving my performance in the classroom.