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Motivating the Teaching Philosophy LTC Howard D. McInvale, Ph.D. Department of Mathematical Sciences June 14 th , 2012. “If I had only one day left to live, I would live it in LTC Mac’s class: it would seem so much longer” . Fundamental Tasks of Teaching. Knowledge of Subject Matter.
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Motivating the Teaching Philosophy LTC Howard D. McInvale, Ph.D.Department of Mathematical Sciences June 14th, 2012 “If I had only one day left to live, I would live it in LTC Mac’s class: it would seem so much longer”
Fundamental Tasks of Teaching Knowledge of Subject Matter Interacting with Students Designing Learning Experiences Managing Course Events Beginning of Course Fink, Dee. “Evaluating Teaching: A New Approach to an Old Problem”, 2008
Teaching Philosophies Can be Like Grades… • Approach Teaching Philosophies as Developmental NOT Evaluative
“Would your class have been different if there was a different group of students?” Why Bother With a Teaching Philosophy? Benefits of writing a teaching philosophy: • Focuses attention on teaching; recognizes its importance • Stimulates thought/discussion on teaching/ pedagogy • Promotes the "scholarship of teaching"
Motivating Faculty to WriteStatements of Teaching Philosophy A core skill of a good mathematician is to simultaneously hold different representations of a (mathematical) object in your mind and choose the one that most useful in a given context. Bernhard Kutzler Different Representations May Suggest that a Teaching Philosophy may be Useful… • Teacher Portfolio • Classroom visits • Student evaluations • Self-reflection • Team Teaching • Teaching circles • Tenure Requirement • Student Performance
A Teaching Philosophy • Four main questions usually addressed in teaching philosophy statements: • What are your objectives as a teacher? • What methods will you use to achieve these goals? • How do you assess and evaluate your effectiveness in achieving your objectives? • Why is teaching important to you? • Should it be required? • Requires regular updates. • Maintain examples; freely share within department.
Some Tips I have Observed Work Well: • Give faculty choice in format and emphasize that it is a living document. • Show your enthusiasm, interest for its benefits. • Allow for a sense of humor in a teaching philosophy. • Set and enforce consistent expectations on its uses. • Present examples-- show them yours!
References • To Improve the Academy , Douglas Robertson • What the Best College Teachers Do, Ken Bain • Mastering the Techniques of Teaching, Joseph Lowman • Assessment Practices in Undergraduate Mathematics, edited by Bonnie Gold, Sandra Keith, and William Marion • The Mis-Education of Mathematics Teachers, H. Wu • Statements of Teaching Philosophy, Gail Goodyear and Douglas Allchin