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

Fink, Dee. “Evaluating Teaching: A New Approach to an Old Problem”, 2008

Knowledge of Subject Matter

Interacting with Students

Managing Course Events

Designing Learning Experiences

Beginning of Course

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?”

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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

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Different Representations May Suggest that a Teaching Philosophy may be Useful…

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.

A Teaching Philosophy

1. Give faculty choice in format and emphasize that it is a living document.

2. Show your enthusiasm, interest for its benefits.

3. Allow for a sense of humor in a teaching philosophy.

4. Set and enforce consistent expectations on its uses.

5. Present examples-- show them yours!

Some Tips I have Observed Work Well:

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