This paper presents three teaching goal statements outlining a philosophy of student-centered education. The first goal focuses on cultivating lifelong learning habits through collaborative focus groups and networking. The second addresses fostering intrinsic motivation and classroom enthusiasm using the Reflective Model and experiential learning opportunities such as internships and field trips. The third goal emphasizes developing creative, nonconformist thinking skills that prepare students for a diverse, globalized workforce. Drawing on scholars including Lipman, Sternberg and Lubart, Walberg and Herbig, and Costello, the paper argues that non-traditional, student-empowering pedagogical methods produce stronger academic and professional outcomes.
The following three goal statements outline a personal teaching philosophy grounded in student empowerment, collaborative learning, and creative development. Each goal identifies a desired student outcome and the research-supported instructional strategies designed to achieve it. Together, they reflect a commitment to student-centered pedagogy that prepares learners for success in higher education and professional life.
As a result of my teaching, my students will become lifelong learners and use the learning skills I teach them in higher education and in their professional lives. Many educators and researchers note that continuing education is an important element of success; nearly all professional and executive candidates engage in some level of continuing education (Olson & Smith, 2000). I believe it is through continuous education that students will grow as higher-order thinkers and as professionals.
To help students recognize opportunities for continuous education outside the classroom, I intend to teach students both within the boundaries of an established curriculum and through extracurricular activities they can engage in, allowing students to make choices that will promote greater success. Students learn new approaches — ones that not only increase their skills but also allow them to think creatively. Walberg and Herbig (1991) suggest students are far more likely to experience positive outcomes, and thus be encouraged toward continuing education, when teachers and administrators support continuous learning through multiple vehicles (p. 246). These "vehicles" may include interactive learning through focused groups or diverse education through the use of technology, as is the case with the Internet (Olson & Smith, 2000).
To engage students in the classroom and achieve this goal, students will participate daily in focus groups — small groups of no more than six to eight students — where they are presented with a problem to solve. These focus groups will be held weekly during classroom time for approximately one hour every other day. Students will then gather as a group outside the educational setting (perhaps in a library or park) to further discuss their goals, aims, objectives, findings, and any other information that may prove pertinent to their success after graduating.
The purpose of the focus group is to give students an opportunity to collaborate, and thus develop their communication and problem-solving skills simultaneously. It teaches students how they can achieve their educational goals — including goals for continuing education — by working with others. In today's modern and diverse marketplace, it is essential that students learn how to operate effectively in a variety of conditions. The art of collaboration and the skill of networking are fostered through the use of focus groups as a vehicle for continuing education (Walberg & Herbig, 1991).
Over time, these students may grow into career professionals who encourage continuous learning by developing small work-based focus groups, where professionals are given opportunities to network and solve problems. As part of the student curriculum, students will also be provided the opportunity to practice what they have learned in a community setting through an agreement with an external organization, allowing students to see how focus groups function as a form of continuous learning in public or corporate environments where networking is essential for success.
Networking alone is an effective and widely used tool for inspiring discussion and continuing education by encouraging diverse strategies and brainstorming (Walberg & Herbig, 1991; Olson & Smith, 2000). Students may share their findings with others, alternating groups every other session so they continuously learn by networking and collaborating with a variety of peers.
As a result of my teaching, my students will approach every classroom they enter thereafter with joy, not with dread. Key to success in the classroom is an intrinsic desire to learn. Also key to student success is the utilization of the "Reflective Model" of education and learning (Lipman, 2003). This model encourages students to become more proactive in their education — understanding that while it is possible to learn according to the rules and regulations of the educational institution, it is also helpful for students to be proactive and reflect on their own lives, goals, and inspirations in order to excel both inside and outside the classroom (Lipman, 2003, p. 9).
As part of this model, teachers may offer students the choice of selecting their own texts for certain courses or projects, which empowers students and reduces some of the rigid structure evident in most schools — something that inspires and motivates students to enter the classroom with enthusiasm (Lipman, 2003, p. 10). It is therefore the role of the teacher to determine which methods are most likely to inspire intrinsic motivation. Researchers suggest several approaches, including: cultivating creativity in students by allowing them some say in course and text selection (Sternberg & Lubart, 1995, p. 36); and allowing students to learn outside the traditional classroom setting, whether through field trips or selective projects (Walberg & Herbig, 1991).
Students are also more likely to experience enthusiasm and motivation when they have a strong support structure (Sternberg & Lubart, 1995, p. 36). For this reason, it is essential that educational authorities collaborate with students and community partners to provide opportunities that contribute to student success. This may mean, for example, arranging field trips for an art history class so that students can see how the skills they learn in class are applied in everyday life. These relationships are often supported through nonprofit entities (Lipman, 2003) that are willing to engage students on an intern-like basis, giving students a chance to envision what the outcome of their efforts will be once they complete their studies.
"Non-traditional methods build outside-the-box thinking"
As Sternberg and Lubart (1995) argue, the age of conformity is over; the time for change is now. Students need to rise up in their communities and state their needs, preferences, and desires; communities must work to support these incentives and to assist students who are eager to broaden the scope of their learning. The three goals outlined above — cultivating lifelong learning, fostering intrinsic motivation, and developing creative thinking — together form a cohesive, research-grounded framework for a teaching practice committed to student empowerment and long-term professional success.
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