PHILOSPHY OF TEACHING

Philosophy of Teaching

Abstract

Teaching is an art and it differs from person to person. In general term, teaching is to teach or make someone learn about anything. Teaching can be classified as formal and informal way of communicating knowledge, the formal way of teaching is seen in schools, colleges, universities, workshop etc. The informal way of teaching can be witnessed in homes and churches. Everyone has a different style of teaching. Some are strict while others are lenient in spreading out their knowledge. My methods of teaching have been profoundly influenced by professors who, with their enthusiasm, uncompromising devotion to the profession, and concern for me as a person with aspirations, succeeded in instilling in me their love for French literature. Their classes were demanding, but the passion for learning and clear direction given to me by these professors made the challenge more appealing. I feel that my primary responsibility in the classroom is to convey my enthusiasm for the subject in a manner students can appreciate and reciprocate, and doing so whether the class be one of a basic language or an advanced literature course.

Philosophy of Teaching

Introduction

Teaching to be effective must be a vocation, a way of life that involves the totality of one's being, not simply a job or even a profession. A teacher is a real agent of effective education in the lives of students to the extent that he or she embodies a living passion for knowledge and understanding. Such a passion for knowledge and understanding cannot be limited to a particular academic specialty, although such a specialty is often at the heart of this passion. For a human being is a whole: a situated life within a situated culture, historical period and world horizon (Allchin, 2012). Every whole human being integrates the academic focus of his or her learning with all the dimensions of knowledge available in that historical period: art, history, science, literature, philosophy and religion. This is what it means to inspire students with a passion for lifelong learning. They see the living embodiment of this passion in their teacher who often functions as a role model. Undergraduate students are not likely to pursue any single particular academic discipline as a specialty, but they may be inspired with the passion to become an educated, thoughtful lifelong learner and active citizen making a positive contribution to their world.

World View and Philosophy of teaching

My philosophy of teaching (influenced by the Radford University Writing across the Curriculum Program and several philosophers of education) can be expressed in terms of these four fundamental “i” words: inquiry, interpretation, integration, and imagination.

Inquiry

Effective learning begins with good questions. The syllabus should address these central questions. Philosophy in particular is concerned with careful, critical thinking, and such thinking is developed in students by making it interesting and relevant to them. The questions should be fundamental and allow students to see clearly the dynamic of penetrating the surface appearances of things through their ...