Philosophy of Teaching Effective Professionals

Philosophy of Teaching Effective professionals base their work on fundamental philosophies, solid ethics, and core values. Community college educators are in a unique position to help people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to thrive personally and professionally. The community college professor must particularly focus on providing a challenging learning environment for a diverse student body. Moreover, community colleges offer an exceptionally wide range of classes and services for their students and therefore instructors must keep their teaching philosophies up-to-date and relevant for a changing student body.

Instructors also need to make sure they stay in touch with their colleagues and keep their core philosophies and beliefs as flexible and adaptable as possible. While there is no way to devise a philosophy of teaching relevant in all situations, for all classes and for all institutions, I have discovered some core issues that pertain particularly to the community college instructor.

Based on observations of successful and effective college instructors, on relevant literature, research, and on my core values and beliefs, I formulated the following philosophy of teaching, relevant especially to instructors at the community college level: Teaching should expose all students to as many materials, concepts, and opportunities as possible; expand students' awareness and knowledge base; and excite students to reach their highest potential and to pursue their career goals and dreams.

Professors are most effective with a student-centered philosophy that focuses on career development, academic integrity, personalized instruction, and an honest commitment to diversity. One of the reasons why students attend community college is for exposure to new people, new ideas, and new avenues for personal and professional development. Therefore, community college professors should continually keep in mind their students' personal and professional needs and actively encourage students to seek and discover new concepts, materials, and experiences.

For instance, instructors of computer science should be aware of emerging technologies as well as emerging professions. A student-centered philosophy demands rigorous attention to the changing market and the changing needs of organizations. Professors of all subjects would do well to seek guest speakers who can serve as role models in their field of interest. Guest speakers, especially those from companies that are currently recruiting, can offer enormous networking opportunities for the students in the classroom.

Moreover, professors can expose students to internship opportunities, professional opportunities, and volunteer experiences that might help them to get started on a new career path. Exposing students to the practical application of classroom work is one of the main tasks of the professor who remains dedicated to a student-centered philosophy. Within the diverse student bodies on community college campuses, however, discovering students' needs can be one of the most challenging aspects of teaching.

Therefore, the professor must keep up-to-date in his or her field of practice, through reading new literature and research. In the field of political science, for instance, professors can tailor classroom projects to those that deal specifically with current events and foreign diplomacy. The professor must then relay new information to the class to stimulate discussion and promote critical analysis and creative thinking.

In nearly every academic field, professors should keep their information current, as exposing students to new ideas is another key task for the community college professor, in accordance with a student-centered philosophy. Community college professors who ascribe to a student-centered philosophy also need to focus on various methods of instruction and develop diverse learning strategies. For instance, in addition to the lecture / discussion format, teachers can devise means by which students can work in groups. Working with their classmates encourages interaction among students in larger classes.

In smaller classes, professors can encourage open discussions and participation by all students. When professors work with students with special needs they should always be certain to create an inclusive environment that encourages all students to shine. Moreover, community college professors need to develop curricula that honor diversity whenever possible. A comprehensive teaching philosophy for the community college professor therefore expands student awareness of diversity as well as of their subject matter.

The community college instructor must also keep in mind that many students will have families, part-time, or full-time jobs and must therefore respect the needs for students to juggle differing demands. Professors should always listen to their students needs: if work loads appear too hard for many students then the professor should consider reducing them. Expanding awareness also includes helping students network. The community college professor should introduce students to various campus organizations, clubs, other classes, and community resources.

The instructor should direct students to campus bulletin boards and career development offices and also alert students of local job fairs. Also part of a community college teaching philosophy is academic preparation for transfer students. Many students who attend community colleges do so in order to earn enough credits for transfer to a four-year university. If possible, the instructor should encourage students who are interested in furthering their education to investigate colleges and universities nationwide.

The professor should help students discover programs of interest suited to their needs and offer some feedback as to which colleges and universities might be best suited for the individual. Also, a conscientious and caring professor will meet with students after class to discuss their plans for the future and will help students prepare for entrance examinations and application essays. Professors who ascribe to a student-centered core philosophy will willingly keep after-class office hours.

During that time, professors can meet with students on a one-to-one basis, promoting the types of personalized discussions that are inappropriate or impossible within the classroom environment. While working one-on-one with students professors can offer personalized feedback on how to best improve test or essay scores, how to seek tutoring if necessary, and how to best plan for the future.