My Teaching Philosophies

My broad goal is to make learning biology exciting, relevant, and rewarding for all students.  I'm perpetually learning and trying to improve myself as an instructor, so I know I will never be done working towards that goal.  Some of my specific teaching strategies are...

1. I try to find out what you know.

This diagram from an index card blog demonstrates an important truth about learning.  We learn in a lot of places outside of classrooms.  If we hope to gain new ideas or change our ideas in classes, it's important to recognize our preconceptions and the contexts we naturally learn in.  For those reasons, I put a great deal of effort into understanding the knowledge students bring to the classroom, so that we can confront and build on that prior knowledge.  In addition, I design classroom activities that might mimic the ways we learn outside of classrooms and in real biological situations (see #2).  With your prior ideas in mind, I can work to create activities that help you reach your academic and professional goals in the context of the learning you're engaged in as part of other classes and outside the classroom.

2. I foster the development of cooperative learning in the classroom.

Doing science depends on bringing people together in teams to share their unique perspectives on problems.  This means we must individually recognize what we have to offer and then put those skills to use in effective teamwork.  In addition, studies show us students learn best by communicating their ideas with their peers.  Since science is done in teams and learning is best done through cooperation, I stress teamwork and collaboration in my classes.  You will find that I use cooperative learning very frequently in lectures as well as labs.  This strategy has 3 main benefits: it more-closely simulates how scientists work, it promotes student learning, and it creates a mutually supportive classroom environment where we all work together instead of competing against one another.

3. I "assess" (survey and grade) student learning in lots of different ways.

"Assessment" can refer to a graded test/assignment, or an ungraded observation or survey.  Assessment has become a major interest of mine in recent years.  As a college student, my science classes generally had a couple midterms and a final, and that was it.  Those were really the only times for the instructors to find out what I knew or how I was doing.  That meant the instructors were not aware of my progress or my confusion with different concepts, and could not adjust to my needs.  That also meant that each test was a pretty scary, high-stakes event!  Each one counted for a lot of the grade.  In my classes, I try to spread out points over exams as well as other diverse assignments and activities that let students express their knowledge in many different ways.  Biological terminology is important, so memorization still plays a role in my classes.  However, I also try to provide opportunities for students to apply terms and concepts in realistic or interesting settings.  That allows students to be more creative and reflective in their learning.  I often encourage students to support reasonable answers using evidence from biology, instead of focusing on finding an absolute "right" answer (which often doesn't exist in real life anyway!).

I also informally survey my students' knowledge to find out whether you're progressing toward your goals and the goals of the course.  That allows me to adjust my teaching and provide student feedback in near real-time.

4. I set clear expectations, and expect of students no more or less than I expect of biologists/health scientists.

From my own experiences as a student, I know how important it is for students to understand, as specifically as possible, what is expected of them.  When grading assignments, I often use rubrics that I give to students when the assignment is introduced.  These rubrics outline, in specific terms, what students must do to earn full credit.  In developing rubrics and grading tests, I try to assign points to students for exhibiting skills that will be valuable to them in their careers or lives in general.  I consider how professional biologists think and work, and encourage students to think and work in similar ways.  While it is ultimately the students' responsibility to track their progress in class, I typically give students grade updates during the middle of the course to ensure students are meeting their own goals.

5. I find out how things are going.

I structure formal opportunities for students to give me feedback and suggestions during the course (not just at the end when it's too late to make adjustments).  While this structured feeback is very important, I also appreciate when students make the effort themselves to tell me about their individual concerns and learning preferences, and how I'm serving their needs as an instructor.

6. I benefit from the experience and expertise of my colleagues.

Community colleges are rich in teachers with experience as innovative educators.  I enjoy working collaboratively with other teachers to better understand how different instructors serve their students and communities.