Key Elements of My Personal Teaching Philosophy

My purpose, as a teacher, is to educate students on the important concepts and theories related to the fields of kinesiology, public health, and healthcare. Also, my role is to provide students with the skills and experiences necessary for the successful application of their theoretical knowledge in practice. However, academic learning is not the only intended outcome of my teaching. My goal is to set additional learning objectives for each student that would facilitate behavioral, cognitive, and social development.

As an educator, I believe that a classroom should be a safe and positive learning environment, where all students can freely share their perspectives. I also believe that all students possess unique personalities, character traits, and versatile skill-sets, which can positively contribute to the overall learning environment. Thus, my teaching philosophy underlines the importance of providing a stimulating educational environment, where each student has an opportunity to grow as an individual and a future professional. In each course, I create a favorable atmosphere where students gain new knowledge, contribute their ideas, freely discuss sensitive topics, and treat each other with respect.

In my teaching, I implement a variety of strategies that help me become an effective educator and facilitator of the learning process. For instance, I engage students in their learning through interactive lecturing. In this strategy, I not only present information to my students in a lecture format, but I also provide them with opportunities to apply content and create space for reflection on learning. By combining engaging lecture segments with active learning components, I create a structured and supportive learning environment where students actively participate in discussions, speak with enthusiasm, and problem-solve important issues in public health and healthcare.

My personality reflects who I am as a teacher. For instance, I am a democratic and open-minded leader who believes that every individual is entitled to his or her own opinion and unique views. Hence, I always recognize and embrace each student's differences and personality traits, which allows me to treat them with equality, dignity, and respect. I value each student's unique perspective on the topics discussed in class and encourage each student to freely express his or her opinion even on sensitive subjects. At the same time, I teach my students to advocate for their beliefs and views without violating other peoples' rights. Consequently, I encourage my students to carefully listen to the ideas and opinions of their classmates and perceive this information in a non-judgmental and respectful manner.

Finally, my purposes, beliefs, teaching strategies, and sense of self are closely interrelated. For instance, one of my purposes, as an educator, is to provide students with the most recent evidence-based information related to kinesiology, public health, and healthcare. For this reason, I continuously engage in self-education and learn more about the newest theories, concepts, and practical methods in these domains to ensure that students obtain accurate, valid, and useful knowledge. Additionally, my teaching method highly emphasizes the importance of interactive lecturing. Therefore, I constantly refine my lectures to make them clear and well-organized. I also strive for self-improvement as a public speaker and an effective communicator. Finally, I continuously search for the most effective active learning techniques, where students could apply the obtained information, peer teach, problem-solve, and gain professional experience.

To conclude, my personal beliefs, cultural heritage, and personality traits have shaped me into who I am as a teacher. Diversity and inclusion are crucial components of my cultural heritage. Therefore, I create a positive and inclusive classroom environment, where all students feel valued, heard, and respected. Personal development is essential for my professional and individual growth. Thus, my efforts are aimed towards helping students develop cognitively, behaviorally, socially, and professionally. I believe that education is a powerful weapon that my students can use to make a positive impact on society.