TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

 

          My interest lies in teaching students Psychology while emphasizing the scientific evidence supporting the field. Psychology is a field that faces many misconceptions and misrepresentations. Therefore, the incoming students may have little awareness of the scientific support and research behind Psychology. I believe that it is important to convey to the students, the empirical support behind Psychology and its sub-disciplines, while guiding them to think critically about related topics. It is also important to me that they not only learn about the subject but that I meet their expectations of the course while equipping them with life skills that they may find helpful in their careers. My teaching philosophy is based on the four elements described below.

 

• Empirical evidence: I feel that it is important for students to know and understand the research and the scientific evidence behind Psychology. This may encourage students interested in being scientists or researchers to pursue a career in Psychology. Students should be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to find empirical evidence, carry out experiments, analyze data and draw conclusions based on the data collected.

 

• Active participation of the student: I believe that active participation of students in the form of discussions and class projects will help students solidify their knowledge, promote critical thinking and help them understand the material better. Working with other classmates and/or instructor would also help students recognize and accept each other’s viewpoints.

 

• Assessing knowledge: In my personal opinion, students should not only be able to gain knowledge of the course material, but also be able to use them in practical settings appropriately. Teaching them to apply what they learn would also enhance their critical thinking skills. For example, when practicing Psychological therapy treatments, it is essential that students are taught in theory about the therapy techniques and also how to follow such therapies in practical settings when working with clients. Therefore, it is important to not only test what the students remember from the coursework taught, but also to test their ability to apply their knowledge and skills appropriately in practical settings.

 

• Encouraging diversity and cultural fairness: As an international student, I have learned a lot from associating those from different cultures. The experience of working with a diverse group, may enhance the educational experience while also enhancing one’s social values. Therefore, I believe that encouraging diversity and cultural fairness would help students learn about themselves and others, and accept differences. It is also important to emphasize that diversity not only applies to one’s ethnicity, gender, age etc but also to each person’s unique experience and background.