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Statement of Teaching Philosophy Eve Mullen The college or university social sciences and humanities classroom has a strong potential to be more than an arena of rote learning. The classroom can also be an arena of empowerment for students. The teacher who takes responsibility for a student's growth toward empowerment, betters that student's chances of taking with her or him a sense of pride and self-confidence, in addition to the material learned, out of the classroom. Self-assurance gained on the college campus is an advantage that can last a lifetime. As a teacher, I attempt to empower each of my students by creating an environment in which class members are introduced not only to the course material to be mastered but also to the skills that allow such mastery to be achieved. Two issues are vital: the teacher's responsibility to develop within the course the student's capacity for analysis and argumentation and the teacher's responsibility to be culturally responsive to students in the diversified classroom. Jonathan Z. Smith's_ Journal of the American Academy of Religion_ article, "'Narratives Into Problems': The College Introductory Course and the Study of Religion," helps elucidate how the task of developing students' analysis and argumentation skills is achieved; I have found his approach to be effective in my classroom. Instead of requiring only that pupils regurgitate textbook narratives, Smith encourages teachers to expect more. Learning course material, synthesizing course material, and being capable of analyzing theoretical frameworks of the course material are basic expectations. Smith calls for a further standard: the student must understand the consequences of her or his analytical critiques and must take responsibility for them. Within these requirements, the student learns to view narratives not as truths but as perspectives. And with such a revelation, the student is able to unpack the problems that may be inherent in perspective and construct arguments to support, reject or improve them. In this environment of learning, topics of study become topics of debate. The student learns how to analyze, critique and argue with individuality and civility. For example, in my Religion in America, Introduction to Asian Religions and Religion and Psychology classrooms, I urge my students to take part in each class period by sharing their work, their experiences and their opinions in open discussion. Reflection papers require coherent, thorough responses to course readings and serve as a student's preparation for class discussions. The students are required to show their mastery of the material by linking textbook theory and data to experiences and evidence outside the classroom. I often have students interview people from different religious backgrounds in order to compare what is learned from individuals to what is presented in popular media reports, television programs or the student's own preexisting conceptions. By comparing or contrasting what is learned in readings to what is seen in reality, students gain long-lasting knowledge of the material, analytical skills and confidence in their own abilities to gather information and construct informed opinions. Term papers are fine evaluations of a student's grasp of a topic, but a class presentation of the paper raises the classroom standard: the student becomes not only a reporter of data but a critic and analyst, as well. Students must be prepared to defend their assertions and positions, as questions and challenges from their classmates and instructor are the norm. In my Death and Dying classroom, presentations and debates take on an even more personal character, as students share not only their rationally drawn viewpoints but their feelings, as well. In no other context is sensitive, responsive discussion-leading from a teacher more needed. With my solid background in the Death and Dying classroom, in addition to the experiences gained in the myriad of other courses I have taught, I am confident in my abilities as a teacher not only to convey basic course information but also to nurture students in the areas of analysis, argumentation and respectful debate. Key to a student's development is an atmosphere in which one feels welcome to voice one's thoughts. Responsive and responsible teaching ensures a classroom environment of security and support in which students may express their opinions and exercise their argumentation skills. Diversity requires that teachers respond adequately to all students' needs. As Banks (1990) recognizes, a teacher must be culturally responsive to individual voices and concerns. Formulating general conceptual frameworks into which a variety of specific realities can be placed is key. Students need exposure to a curriculum that does not estrange or isolate but that respects and values differing experiences. Opening a viable window into another culture is, as Ninian Smart writes, to allow "empathetic imagination" to take power. The understanding of another religion than one's own is then a "migration of mind and heart"; in entering another's world, a migration toward respectful understanding results. The process fosters a respect not only toward the culture studied but toward others in the classroom and immediate world. I add that the process also results in a more thorough understanding of one's own cultural system: we often learn more about ourselves by learning about others. As a teacher familiar with diversified classes in a large university, I know that for the classroom as a whole, diversity and the multi-lensed perspectives it allows are never problematic hindrances, but useful, vital tools in themselves. Getting many sides to one story is the first preparation for a good argument, and a diverse classroom best prepares students for thorough reflections. It is indeed possible for a teacher to accept responsibility for a student's progress. This is not to say that as a teacher I can learn for students or make students learn; a student holds the key to her or his own learning. But student involvement, attention and thus potential development can be maximized by the teacher. Personalizing learning experiences and encouraging thoughtful, respectful debate help to achieve that aim. I strive to empower my students with confidence and dignity, and in making that effort, I become closer to being a mentor. References Banks, J.A. _Teaching Strategies for the Social Sciences: Inquiry, Valuing and Decision-Making_. New York: Longman, 1990. Smart, Ninian. University of Cape Town Address: "Religious Studies and Religious Education: Challenges for a New South Africa," 1991. Smith, Jonathan Z. "'Narratives Into Problems': The College Introductory Course and the Study of Religion." _Journal of the American Academy of Religion_ I, VI/4: 727-739. |
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