Submitted by: Submitted by tmp825
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Pages: 4
Category: Other Topics
Date Submitted: 10/20/2010 05:51 PM
Philosophy of Teaching Statement
As a seasoned Executive Enrollment Advisor working with online associate’s degree students, I am in a unique position to understand firsthand what is important to adult learners when attending school online. My teaching philosophy focuses on the student in a way that continually challenges me to view things from the perspective of someone returning to school after being out of attendance for years. As I place myself vicariously in front of that computer, at the other end of the phone consultation, or in the classroom, this cornerstone of my philosophy has been the bedrock principle upon which all other aspects of my teaching abilities and methods rest: hope for a way out of one’s “box”.
My experience in teaching is that there are common concerns for students that appear regardless of the course or teaching modality. Most are questioning the value of education and whether they will receive a justifiable return on their investment of time and money. Many are questioning the choice of school and degree program, and whether or not their credentials will be respected in the marketplace once they finally have earned them. Then there is the question of time and commitment. “Am I really going to be able to pull this off?” they wonder.
It takes much more than simply responding with a shallow “Yes you can!” to overcome years of disappointment and the feeling of inadequacy that invariably accompanies most students’ decision to return to school. And of course, as an Enrollment Advisor I have the inside perspective on the fact that there seems to be nothing more frustrating to a student than teachers who are slow to respond in an online forum. What’s worse is that some only seem to reply with “canned” responses or when prodded by administrative personnel. As a teacher with a student’s perspective, I have the utmost sensitivity to how important individual, prompt and caring attention is.
There is however, one universal issue that seems to...