Riley's Learning/Teaching Philosophy Spring 2024 by Rachel Watson

Teaching Philosophy

2024-01-29 22:48:42 UTC

I love that my backdrop is a pool because that is where I got my teaching background. First and foremost, my teaching philosophy revolves around the student. The priority is ensuring the student has what they need to succeed. Teaching should be a guiding hand leading the students down the right path.

I have heard the philosophy that teachers point students down the right road and let them walk it. I personally feel that it is more than that. Not only do we point the way, we are the tour guide walking the path with them. Helping them when the trip and hoping to see them cross the finish line on their own.

Reflection: 1/29/2024

2024-01-30 00:39:50 UTC

The various techniques that we discussed all have one underlying theme. HOW it is applied is important. Flipped classroom can quickly become a student teaching themself, a case study if the students don't have the knowledge base becomes busywork. When implementing learning, it is vital to see how one implements a learning strategy.

Reflection: 2/5/2024

2024-02-06 19:50:16 UTC

Main thing I am taking away from todays class was the challenge of getting everyone to engage. I felt interesting points were brought up that reflected how hard that is. In my time as a teacher, I have learned that there is value in small groups being of similar people and allowing diversity to be explored in the classwide setting. For one, allowing cohesion makes people more willing to participate. Additonally, it puts people with similar skillsets together so you as an instructor can focus on what they all need as opposed to only what "the smart kid" needs.

Reflection: 2/12/2024

2024-02-13 00:40:17 UTC

After discussing the basis of Neuroscience and learning a few important themes came up. Movement stimulating learning, the importance in stimulating multiple areas, providing a positive environment, and the importance of systematic knowlege as opposed to memorized knowledge. It raises the question if the education system should be changed to ensure these themes are centralized in order to promote better learning from the get go. At the very least it is something that I want to implement into my teaching because it reaps rewards when it comes to participation and retainment.

Topics of First 3 Reflections

2024-02-13 00:44:17 UTC

1/29/2024: Teaching Modalities

2/5/2024: Diversity and Participation

2/12/2024: Neuroscience

Reflection 2/26/2024: Active Learning Study

2024-02-27 00:41:23 UTC

It was very cool to see some research in regard to the positive effects active learning has on students. It does not change my teaching philosophy, but rather reinforces it. It shows the value of actively enhancing the learning that I provide by giving students a chance to practice and freely interact with the material as opposed to "fact memorization" as Rachel wisely put it. One thing that did stick out to me was how applicable this is to other disciplines. The biggest one being non university based education like the trades. As I thought about it, I realized that they have their own form of active learning! You cant become an electrician simply by reading a list of facts, you have to observe and practice what you are learning to be successful. It just goes to show that we are naturally inclined to learn actively!

Expansion on 2/12/2024

2024-03-25 23:09:42 UTC

My method of implementation here would for one focus on a positive learning environment. This will set us up for sucess from the beginning. I also plan to rely heavily on station based learning to simulate that movement. This will help keep the students awake and focused so learning can further be promoted.

Reflection: 3/4/2024 Learning Backwards

2024-03-25 23:20:09 UTC

This week, we looked at a model that works backwards to achieve a goal. It has you start simply with the goal then expand on it and build the implementation. I can apply this to my teaching philosophy when it comes to establishing a course. When the time comes that I set up a course of my own to teach, I will start with this method to give me the groundwork of my course. I see this as a very effective method to start building a course!

Reflection 3/18/2024 ADDIE

2024-03-25 23:34:48 UTC

This week we discussed ADDIE. It is a systematic acronym talking about how to improve on a class. It stands for Analyze Design Develop Implement Evaluate. In many ways its a scientific method focusing on trying an intervention and evaluating the results. I can apply this to my teaching philosophy when it comes to determining the course of action with implementing a lesson. Using this structure, I can make sure I am teaching effectively or if not, I go through the ADDIE cycle again to attempt to improve the lesson in future attempts. I have used this model without knowing it quite a lot in our Lifeguarding classes.

Reflection: 3/25/2024 SoTL

2024-03-25 23:41:25 UTC

SoTL is a self driven approach in which a question is posed that could potentially improve instruction in a teachers class. The teacher tests it, evaluates it, and shares it with others. Attached is a SoTL I developed in regard to concern in modules in our Lifeguarding curriculum.

Reflection 4/1/2024 Inclusion

2024-04-01 23:44:26 UTC

This week we read a case study related to inclusion. I was quite frustrated reading the article especially in the TA. We have pushed so hard in this class to be inclusive and seeing such a blatant example of the opposite was quite aggravating. It definitely reminded me of what to avoid while in class. I did feel very included today. Being the stray was very fun!

Reflection 4/15/2024 Place Based Learning

2024-04-15 23:37:23 UTC

We went around and found an area or thing that had a certain level of significance.

My find was the grass, which had started to turn green in the fading rainstorm that was slowly shifting to evening sunlight. It was interesting that each and every piece of grass was its own thing, and yet every single one of them was nourished by the rain. Unlike us, the rain nourished each and every blade of grass equally. How can we be like nature? How can we find a level of equality that makes everyone "turn green"?

It was very cool to go through Kolb's cycle. When you focus on the place, you find an excess of depth and wisdom in the simplest things.

The main parts that stand out to me from Colombia's Principles are Setting explicit expectations and choosing content that recognizes diversity. We all had a general outline for what we needed to do, but how we got it done allowed us to pursue it in our own way.

If we were grading a student, I would add in exactly what I am doing right now; a written reflection. This would be a great way to see what the students came up with, if they did truly engage with their place or thing and what they came up with. It could even be given clearer expectations (principle 2) to apply to whatever your class was going over at that point in time.

Grit 4/29/2024

2024-04-30 22:55:05 UTC

This week's discussion focused on grit and the growth mindset. These two factors discuss the drive and motivation towards longterm goals and the idea that failure is nessecary and more importantly temporary. In the value line we can see that people have different takes on how gritty they are vs how gritty they think everyone else is. This has interesting implications in inclusive pedagogy. To me, it suggests a measure of a person's self respect, as well as their respect for other people. This can be indicative of a person's willingness to be inclusive and their general respect for others. This can be a useful tool in determining the intensity of your inclusive pedagogy in the classroom. For those with high levels of grit and perceived levels of grit, you are in a good place as far as self confidence, confidence in others and motivation altogether!