Senior Contributing Faculty
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College of Health Sciences
Her teaching philosophy provides a safe atmosphere for learning and in alignment with Transformational Teaching Model. All students are unique and special individuals who need a safe, gentle, and motivating atmosphere in which to develop and mature psychologically, academically, physically, and socially.
Her desire as an educator is to facilitate students to achieve their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that she believe are beneficial to establishing such an environment, by promoting guidance, allowing students to be critical thinkers that will promote learning, and encouraging respect for all things and all people.
The teacher's primary responsibility is to guide students to information, and not be the source of information. This approach assists the students' in finding answers to their questions, and gaining knowledge they need and practicing these skills in real situations. Providing students’ contact to hands-on activities and allow sufficient time and space to use resources that emphasize the lessons being studied creates an opportunity for individual discovery and construction of knowledge to occur.
Therefore, her teaching philosophy is to facilitate learning by helping students to develop the necessary knowledge base and mastery of skills needed to graduate. These teaching/learning practices serve as important tools in helping students to reach their full potential as adult learners in mastering the program objectives. These components or approaches have been her philosophy for online or face to face students.
Transformational teaching emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, and the development of higher-order thinking and communication skills. Students must recognize the limitations of their current knowledge and skills and have opportunities to test and apply new skills and perspectives.
Finley, T.(2015, July 23). 4 things transformational teachers do. Retrieved from, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-things-transformational-teachers-do-todd-finley
