Teaching Philosophy for Steve Wininger

Signature courses : Educational Psychology, Motivation and Emotion, and Sport Psychology.

 Why do I teach?

First, I enjoy the process of teaching. Most of the material I teach is fascinating to me. Through teaching I have the opportunity to learn more about the material at a deeper level and I get to share my understanding with my students! I like the fact that teaching is a creative endeavor. Teaching affords me the opportunity to create my lessons and to constantly improve what I have created.

Second, the areas in which I teach readily lend themselves to application. I find it gratifying to think that most students will walk away from my classes with knowledge and tools that enable them to better their lives and the lives of others. Many of my students will use what I have taught them in their careers (e.g., teaching, coaching, parenting, & helping professions). Some students may use what I have taught them to enhance their motivation or to regulate their emotions and subsequently increase their quality of life.

My beliefs about learning

I believe that almost all students are capable of mastering the material I teach. I believe there are several keys to successful learning. First, students need to work smart. Working smart to me means that a student will come to class prepared (i.e., having read the assigned materials, having taken care of their basic needs such as hunger, hydration, and sleep), be an active learner during class, and go over the notes after class to assess comprehension. Second, students need to identify individualized learning strategies that work best for them (e.g., how to take notes, whether to study alone or with another student, when to study, where to study).

Third, students must be willing to ask for help when needed. I also believe it is in the best interest of students to focus on learning and obtaining skills and not just earning a certain grade. In other words, students should strive to enjoy the process of learning and focus on mastering the material. I try to facilitate a mastery orientation in my students by making the material interesting and demonstrating to students how they can use what I am teaching in their lives.

If students can engage in the preceding behaviors then I feel that they will walk away with something they can use: applications for the real world, better thinking skills, and hopefully improved self-assessment abilities. I also hope that my style of teaching is facilitating the development of a love for learning in my students. I believe that one of the goals of education in general is to produce life-long learners.

My theoretical framework

I feel obliged to link my approach to teaching with several theoretical paradigms from which I have borrowed heavily. First and foremost, I would like to reference Self-Determination Theory and Goal Orientation Theory. One of my main goals is to shift students’ foci to more self-determined motives (such as integrated or intrinsic motivation) and mastering the material (a mastery orientation). Second is Goal theory, to clearly comprehend one’s purpose is a big step towards accomplishing anything. Third is Expectancy X Value theory, it is doubtful that one will be motivated to do something unless one believes one can do it and views the outcome as valuable. Last, I employ Attribution Theory, i.e., what one attributes one’s success or failure to. Attribution theory suggests that the most desirable attributions for enhancing motivation are strategy/approach, short-term effort, and help from others. I encourage my students to adopt the best strategies for learning, to work hard, and to ask me questions when they don’t understand something. Directing one’s attention to the factors within one’s control is detrimental to success.

Important teacher behaviors I try to personify

My teaching philosophy consists of seven important teacher behaviors. They are passion for teaching, facilitation of higher-level learning, articulation of learning objectives and regular feedback about progress, variety in instruction, continual improvement, encouragement of student responsibility, and communication of high standards.

I feel that it is imperative to have a passion for teaching and enthusiasm for what one is teaching. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” If I look forward to teaching each class, then the students will be much more likely to get excited about coming to class. If I express interest or intrigue about a topic, then there is a greater chance of arousing a student's interest. Enthusiasm is contagious, and I feel, as the teacher, I am the most appropriate source of it.

My goal is for students not just to learn facts or simply to understand concepts, but to be able to apply the materials covered in class to their lives. I believe that there are several keys to accomplishing this integration of class material into students’ lives. I strive to make the material meaningful by illustrating how the principles and theories can be applied in students' everyday lives. I also prompt students to engage in higher levels of thought by asking them to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts we are covering.

Clear educational objectives and feedback about progress towards those objectives are key components in learning. As Charles Brewer says, “If you do not know where you are going, the likelihood that you will get there borders on randomness.” I provide specific learning objectives for each section I teach on my course web page. Naturally, students need feedback about their progress towards those learning objectives. Delivering feedback effectively consists of several steps. First, student comprehension should be regularly assessed via means of formative assessment. Formative assessment is the measurement of student progress before or during instruction for the expressed purpose of modifying instruction and improving student performance. Second, based on the formative assessment, remediation and prompting must occur. Third, summative assessments should be reviewed with students in order to further remediate.

Providing students with a variety of learning mediums is essential to maintaining their attention. The environment in which students learn should increase their interest in the learning process. Therefore, I attempt to engage students by incorporating a variety of learning aids, activities, and assignments such as conversational lecture, demonstration, class discussion, small group discussion, case studies, research to interpret, video clips, and hands-on-activities.

I am constantly improving the content and structure of my classes. There is always new information to be incorporated from journals, newspapers, and conferences, as well as useful ideas from colleagues and students. It is encouraging to see the effects of these improvements on the students I teach (e.g., their positive reactions to a new activity). I also conduct section evaluations where I ask students six questions about the section we just completed. The information gleaned from these evaluations has been a rich source for course modification.

My classes are structured in a manner that sends clear expectations for responsibility. College is a precursor to students entering into a profession. Therefore, they should be able to exhibit professional behavior in my classes. This includes punctuality, professional language/grammar, preparedness, respect for others, and interdependence. By interdependence I mean knowing when to reach out for help. When a student has really struggled with a concept but still doesn’t grasp it then it is time to seek out their teacher’s assistance. I hope my students view me as approachable and feel comfortable asking for my help during those times.

I want students to know that I expect good things out of them and that most of them are capable, if they work smart. If I pass a student who has not achieved a certain level of mastery for the class objectives, then that student will suffer in classes where a mastery of that material is presumed. I would also be doing a disservice to my institution of higher learning. I would not want a student to represent a successful graduate of my institution without having attainted a certain level of mastery over the core curriculum. Thus, I feel a sense of accountability to my students, my school, and my field of study. Some students may not like me for upholding higher standards, however I feel that respect is much more important than popularity.

Summary

Teaching is enjoyable to me for several reasons, but predominantly because teaching is a form of learning and I like to learn. I believe that most students are capable of mastering the material I teach, especially if they work smart. My goal is for students to enjoy the learning process and to focus on mastering the material rather than just focusing on earning a specific grade. I attempt to facilitate my teaching goals by exhibiting a passion for teaching, facilitating higher-level learning, providing regular feedback, using variety in instruction, continually improving, encouraging student responsibility, and communicating high standards.

Metaphors