I just wrote a one-page 'Teaching Statement', and am sharing it here entitled 'Teaching as a Process, Relations, and Vocation' where I highlighted in bold the key concepts of my current teaching philosophy which, I believe, evolves through time and experience....
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I
regard teaching as a process, relations,
and vocation whose foremost objective is learning.
Teaching entails a process of learning between interacting learners
(i.e., both the teacher and student) through the sharing, reflection, acquisition,
and generation of ideas. In this process, the student gains knowledge through
‘learning by studying’ and the teacher also comes to a self-realization, as
well as generates and (re)produces knowledge, through ‘learning by teaching’. While research-based
teaching is increasingly becoming the norm in the academia, I also believe
in teaching-based research where the
topics and courses taught in classrooms become a stimulating and significant
basis for an academic’s future research endeavor.
Teaching thus implies a
learning relationship between a
teacher and student. Both are
considered learned and learner. A teacher is both learned and learner, and
a (university) student is not only a learner but must also be viewed as learned
with the faculties for learning at the level of higher education. In this
relationship, both have duties and responsibilities. Key to maintaining a
healthy and meaningful relationship between the learners is mutual respect by
upholding one of learning’s virtues: the
giving and receiving of feedback.
But the teacher must
take the leading role in mentoring and facilitating the learning process and
relationship, challenged and inspired by the initial conditions, capacity,
and aspiration of students towards particular learning objectives. It is the task
of teachers to excite students with ideas. This includes the importance of preparation in teaching—i.e., never
enter the classroom ‘cold’ when giving lectures and never show up in
consultation meetings without having read students’ drafts. Unprepared teachers
are most likely to spoil students’ enthusiasm in learning.
Having been a student myself from grade school to the
postgraduate and doctoral schools and having had the teaching experience and
exposure in different pedagogical methods in a number of systems—i.e.,
particular features of Asian, American, British, Baltic, European, Nordic and
Scandinavian teaching styles—, I can say that there are advantages and
disadvantages in their respective learning approaches. Thus far, however, I shun
top-down model of learning; and I have come to believe in learner-centred, or student-centred, pedagogical method. Thus, teaching has to be considered an ‘art’
that requires from teachers the skill of creativity
and the virtue of empathy. Central
to this is a teacher’s reflection on the preparation and conduct of a course on
the issue: How do students learn best?
Or, what are the teaching techniques and approaches that could effectively help
students learn best?
Finally,
teaching is a vocation that requires passion, commitment and dedication. It
is professionalism with ethics and a
good sense of meaning and purpose. I am continuously inspired by mentors
who have taught and shown me a seemingly old-fashioned academic culture that is
generous, critical yet liberal,
erudite yet humble, and purpose-driven. I have been lucky to
have experienced this kind of generous
academic culture from great mentors who are generous in time, advice,
exchange of ideas, and resources. I wish to share this cherished gift and professional
inspiration to my colleagues and students in the conduct of my teaching
vocation.
