Teaching Statement

For 20 years I played competitive soccer, culminating as a four-year starter on a division 1 college team. When I was 22, a friend and fellow coach I respected, told me I was a better coach than a player. At first I was startled and offended. But as I grew older, played less and coached more, I became familiar with the intense satisfaction of imparting the wisdom, skill and experience I had worked to gain on to young players. The gratification of watching my players improve, succeed and flourish is astounding. I have coached soccer for 15 years now, so when I first stepped into a classroom to teach, I drew on my experience as a coach. I remembered to teach with inspiration, motivation and encouragement next to every criticism and instruction toward improvement. I now know that being a good coach is truly rewarding, as is being a good teacher.

As my life has evolved and I spend more time in a classroom than on a soccer field, I strive to improve my ability as a teacher. I base my relationship with students on mutual respect and I believe in challenging myself as well as my students. I have two main teaching objectives. My first teaching objective is to get the students as interested and motivated to understand the material as I am. Enthusiasm is contagious. Therefore, I am excited about the material I teach, exude confidence, and try to bring laughter into each course. I believe if the students are having a good time they will be engaged in the class and, subsequently, learn more. My second objective it to make sure that the students feel the class has practical applications. I want my students to be able to apply the theories, methods and knowledge gained from my classes to their future careers. As a teacher, my greatest satisfaction comes when a student becomes engaged in the class, gains knowledge and/or skills, and can apply these experiences to his/her endeavors.

I recognize that all students are not the same. So, one teaching method will not work for all students. Therefore, I believe that a balanced teaching methodology and varied evaluation techniques are the most effective manner to reach students with diverse backgrounds. A balanced course design includes lectures, field/lab time, discussions, judicious exams, and group/individual projects and presentations. Equally important is timely feedback through helpful and fair evaluations of student progress. My teaching philosophy is centered on active learning. Hence, part of my teaching methodology is to require students to be actively involved in all class interactions, making them push their limits and realize their potential.

Lecturing is a good medium to introduce new topics and teach theories, lessons and facts. When I lecture I rely on clear, dynamic and well organized presentations. As a student, I hated walking out of a class not knowing its relevance. Instead, I was drawn to subjects I felt were tangible. I was interested in research topics that were current, evolving and produced enlightening results. Therefore, I begin with an outline to help guide students. Next, I lead the students to understand why the material is important and where it fits in the class. Finally, the concepts are explained in a hierarchical fashion, building upon each other. This method enables students to leave the classroom with a basic understanding of the material within a context. Entwined in lectures are current research examples, often using new and exciting technologies, which can drive home messages and allow students to make connections between material and real life.

Moreover, I strive to give the students a global perspective. My students will think beyond our own political and cultural borders drawing upon examples, stories, and controversies from around the world. This world view allows students to learn the economic and political driving factors behind many events. Additionally, guest lectures are an important component of a course in order to give students another perspective and an opportunity to interact with other professionals in the field. Equally important are student presentations. Here, each student has an opportunity to immerse him/herself in a subject matter and attempt to decipher and disseminate the information to his/her fellow students. Discussions are often spawned from lectures and presentations. I stimulate class discussions by prompting the students with challenging and insightful questions that foster critical thinking. I also encourage every student to participate (through grade incentives), and never disregard or disapprove of anyone’s response. My courses are supplemented with related readings and appropriate learning exercises such as brief research projects and reports. I believe it is important that the work load of a class to be manageable for students. Overwhelmed, as well as under-challenged, students are equally unlikely to learn and benefit from a course.

More than lecturing to students, I enjoy interacting with them. I believe that the more I know about my students the more I will be able to gauge their needs, progress, understanding, and weaknesses. Stepping out of a traditional classroom setting allows perfect opportunities for such beneficial interactions. One of the advantages of marine science are the many opportunities to explore and experience the natural environment. Being a creative and motivated teacher, I try to extend concepts introduced in lecture to field and lab work because, "Students don’t fall asleep while standing in a wetland". When all their senses are engaged with hands-on experiences, students become involved in the material and gain first-hand knowledge. I know these experiences often make a larger and longer lasting impact on students than most pictures in a book or words from a lecture.