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Philosophy of Teaching
The science and art of teaching are most efficacious when they create
learning environments. I use the plural form, environments, because of the
variance in skill and motivational levels among students. To address this
variance, an educator must create multiple learning environments within
the space of a single class session. The creation of a rich learning
environment may transport the educator and the students between, within,
beyond, and outside of time, levels of consciousness, developmental and
cognitive levels, the cosmos, and academic disciplines.
The process of learning and its content goals give rise to discovery,
intrigue, paradox, and fun. To achieve these process and content goals,
much of my philosophy of teaching reflects a synthesis of cognitive
science, systems theory, post modernism, and critical thinking. Research
in cognitive psychology and cognitive science addressing learning
processes, information processing, memory, and learning styles continue to
support and inform my use of a variety of presentation formats to
facilitate students’ development of a knowledge base and the ability to
appropriately apply this knowledge in specific contexts.
Given the complexity of human behavior, I use system theories grounded in
African, Eastern, and Western tinged philosophies to assist students in
the mastery of integrating theory with practice. Systems theory builds on
the notion of interaction to posit that attempts to make sense of
experience whether at the individual or aggregate level require an
understanding of the interactions between various sub-systems organizing
the “whole.” To understand human behavior students are taught to examine
the interactions of the various sub-systems that constitute a human in
addition to the interactions of that individual within specific
affiliation networks and contexts. Systems theory, then, serves as a
foundation for (a) introducing students to community service and
culturally relevant material and (b) assisting practicing professionals to
develop and/or enhance specific competencies.
To shed light on the values and assumptions underlying the various
theoretical models of human behavior and the practice of psychology, I
rely on postmodernism. Postmodern thought, like much of the second wave of
feminist thought, often assumes a system perspective. Post modern thought
challenges the neutrality or objectivity claims of positivism by asserting
that research, scholarship, and clinical practice are always predicated on
a set of assumptions and values that privilege certain epistemologies or
political systems and simultaneously legitimate social practices and
inequities.
My synthesis of cognitive psychology, cognitive science, systems theory,
and postmodern thought is situated within a Socratic model of teaching
designed to facilitate critical thinking. This synthesis affords me the
ability to plan courses that provide stimulation across a wide range of
student cognitive skills and learning styles by attending to both the
process and content of the learning environment. My use of postmodern
thought, for example, promotes critical analysis of theories and
techniques in psychology and assists students to develop the skills of
critical thinking. Students learn to evaluate the assumptions underlying
their own beliefs as well as information presented in course material and
class discussions. As a result, students are exposed to interdisciplinary
“truths” and have ample opportunities to incorporate research into their
learning experience. I find that my philosophy of teaching prepares
students to address the complexity of psychological phenomena.
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