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The literature says that "Good teachers demonstrate an ability to transform and extend knowledge, rather than merely transmitting it; they draw on their knowledge of the subject, their knowledge of their learners, and their general pedagogical knowledge to transform the concepts of the discipline into terms that are understandable to their students. In other words, they display their pedagogical content knowledge. ... Good teachers show respect for their students; they are interested in both their professional and their personal growth, encourage their independence, and sustain high expectations of them." (Ramsden, P, Margetson, D, Martin, E & Clarke, S 1995, Recognizing and rewarding good teaching in Australian higher education, Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching, Canberra). I completely agree with this summation and have used it as the foundation for my teaching philosophy, which is set out in three sections. Each section is encapsulated in a popular quotation. Why I believe teaching is important. As a teacher, I believe I am playing a very important role in equipping students for their chosen career, in the same manner that I was equipped for my career by my former teachers. What makes this even more important for my area of teaching (Personal Financial Planning) is the significant role that these students will eventually play in helping individuals achieve their life goals through the financial strategies that they will be recommending. In addition to teaching, a teacher also adds to the body of knowledge through research and aspires to always be a productive member of the academic and general community. A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. – Henry Brooks Adams What teaching goals and objectives guide me as a teacher. I believe that a teacher’s main goal is equipping and empowering rather than merely transferring knowledge, helping students in learning to learn. Students are eager and with guidance in the right direction, will seek out and discover knowledge on their own. As a teacher, I should be able to inspire students in the pursuit of knowledge while recognising that individual situations and motivations vary. I should be able to impart deep learning of principles and not just rote memorisation, critical analysis and creative problem solving instead of mere knowledge of facts. Students should not just have technical skills in various areas but should also know how they are all integrated in one discipline. My teaching should be engaged with enthusiasm and a desire to share my love of the subject matter. I aspire for each student to come away with the same enthusiasm for the subject matter and a desire to embark along a journey of quality in this area. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. – Chinese proverb What means will be used in working towards my teaching goals and objectives. My teaching will involve knowing the needs of students and what they bring to the class by way of prior learning and using instructive and interactive teaching methods to expand and build upon it. This will involve a blend of theory and practice and of academic and pragmatic analysis as Personal Financial Planning is best taught by applying principles to real life situations. Personal Financial Planning requires knowledge of information and skill in integrating them. However, in some instances, it is not a matter of knowing a particular topic but rather knowing where to find information about it. Therefore, a research mentality will be encouraged. The above teaching methodologies will be facilitated by making myself available and accessible to students both in the classroom and at other times during the teaching week. My teaching style will also be relaxed and accommodating. In teaching, I will use stimulating and easy to understand materials consisting of quality textbooks and reading materials discussing the real world. A critical approach will be maintained in that students would be encouraged to question all source material for accuracy and partiality. Core subject matter will be made available for all students and additional related material will also be available for those students who wish to engage at a higher level. With respect to the use of information technology, it will play an important role in augmenting teaching but will not be used as a means by itself. Individual tasks will be utilised that allow students to expand on the issues discussed in class and to apply them to cases that deal with real life situations. Discussion groups will also be utilised to enable students to learn actively and co-operatively with peers. Assessments will be linked to learning objectives which are clearly stated and conveyed to students as early as possible. Assessments will consist of formative and summative components and will involve high quality feedback. They will be designed not with the primary aim of failing but rather promoting the student. Assignments will ask students to apply and extend the content of the course. Through hypothetical situations, they will need to research information about the subject matter, integrate these materials with other class materials, identify significant issues, analyse using the principles studied and create practical solutions to the problem. Examinations will not only gauge knowledge of facts but will test the creative problem solving skills of students. As in all other professions, continuous self improvement is essential to be effective in teaching. It will be my responsibility to stay abreast of advancements in theory and practice not only in my field of expertise but also in the methods of delivery of the courses in which I teach. I will value feedback from peers and students to help me improve as a teacher. I will also maintain a research orientation in order to broaden my perspective and to be able to contribute to the body of knowledge. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. – William Arthur Ward |
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Home / Qualifications / Teaching Philosophy / Teaching Information / Research and Papers / Other Involvements This page last updated on: 11/07/2008 |