The fourth facet of my teaching philosophy is educating students across the curriculum. I regularly integrate science, history, and math skills into content.

When I’m teaching fetal development, I’m teaching genetics and biology. When students calculate square footage for a classroom using cell phones, I’m reinforcing math skills. These activities help students realize how cross integrated the child development field is with many other disciplines.

With so many second language learners, I always teach English, reading, and writing. With a supplementary authorization for basic English and a reading certificate, I possess additional skills that fosters students’skills. These strategies are useful for students at variety of levels.

Postmodern students will likely change their careers 10-14 times by age thirty-eight. The top ten jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004 (Shift Happens 3.0). Since students will change jobs frequently and their future careers don’t currently exist, critical thinking skills, technology, and soft skills are integral to my teaching philosophy. Students must know how to learn.

Image Source: protractors [stockpholio.com]

My content and curriculum expertise serves as the third philosophy facet. Although I possess advanced degrees, I am a life-long learner, avid reader and researcher, and conscientious about maintaining cutting-edge child development and education knowledge.

This requires participating in professional associations and conferences and learning from colleagues. I thoroughly enjoy returning from training and incorporating new ideas into my courses, writing, and speaking.

I absolutely love research. My most recent research topics include restorative practice in schools, peer mediation for elementary and junior high students, and faculty peer evaluations. What can I say? I’m a research geek.

During a CAEYC Play Conference, I documented my colleague and me learning through photographs. Then I created a PowerPoint presentation titled “Visual Documentation” for my Observation and Assessment college course. The students actually enjoyed seeing their professors “play” while they learned how to document their child observations using photographs.

New knowledge generates renewed energy. Students and speaking audiences are immediate beneficiaries. They experience firsthand the value of continuing education. education as I share what I learned and integrate new material into the course content.

Another favorite aspect of teaching is developing new curriculum and courses. The first phase is gathering research on the course topics. Then I categorize the massive amounts of information, choose the best materials, create interactive learning activities, and integrate it into existing content. As a curriculum specialist, I’ve applied my content knowledge by developing over twenty-five courses.

As an author, speaker, and educator, my web site features over 45 topics. Speaking categories include: Restorative Practices in Schools; Parenting Young Children; Patenting School Age Children; Parenting Adolescents; Topics for K-12 Educators; and Topics for College Professors. If you know a school, parent group, community group, or church looking for a speaker please consider one of my topics.

Image Source: grad-cap-1193101-m Stock XCNG

I’m sharing a series on the six facets of my teaching philosophy. The foundation of my philosophy is creating a safe and inclusive classroom environment.

My second teaching philosophy concept is that students and teacher are all learning together. As a vigorous and enthusiastic professor who enjoys education and interacting with students, I include myself as a learner.

I constantly discover new ideas from my students because I don’t possess the same background and experiences they offer. Everyone has something to contribute. Students bring life experiences that are critical to learning.

The safe environment fosters students asking questions and participating in small and large groups while processing and applying what they are learning. When I don’t know something, I reply, “That’s a great question. I don’t know the answer. Let’s find out.” One of my favorite questions was, “Does head size affect a child’s intelligence?”

Image Source: Many_Hands_(16859686419) [commons.wikimedia.org]

My coursework at Fresno State laid the foundation of my teaching philosophy. Through years of experience and refinement, my philosophy includes six components: creating a safe environment; we are all learners; content and curriculum expertise; education across the curriculum; multimodality teaching style; and reflection and assessment. Today I’ll address my first component.

The foundation of my philosophy is creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. If learners don’t feel safe and included, whatever I do as an instructor or speaker won’t matter.

Since students’ socioeconomic, cultural, age, educational, and ethnic backgrounds comprise a dramatic impact on their ability to learn, I generate a classroom environment that encourages individual differences by incorporating diversity and awareness whenever possible.

Creating a safe environment requires consistently role modeling and reinforcing the class guidelines: one person talks at a time and while we don’t have to agree with one another, we must demonstrate respect. I build students’ confidence by motivating and encouraging them while providing support skills, such as study and exam tips, resources, announcing workshops, and writing hints all within the course delivery.

As a college professor, I have my own office. An open office door policy encourages students to come in for personal and/or academic reasons. When I’m in my office, a steady stream of students comes by. Sometimes they let me know they found a job, lost a job or need a job.

Other times relationship crises bring tears. Unplanned pregnancies are a frequent topic. Sometimes students pop in to say hi and encourage me. Interestingly, most do not come by for academic support. No matter what the reason, my office is a happening place where I trust I’m making a difference in the lives of my students.

Image Source: Creative Commons Bully Free Zone [stockpholio.com]