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Introduction
There is no clear-cut agreement regarding what constitutes best teaching philosophy. Nonetheless, it deserves merit to establish a tentative definition of what constitutes the effective teacher philosophy for the current paper. A teacher/instructor is deemed to have an effective teaching philosophy if he/she has a positive influence on student learning and development via a combination of interpersonal/communication skills, pedagogic skills and content mastery (Bonner, 1999, p. 12; Hativa & Birenbaum, 2000, p. 209).
It is worth mentioning that brilliant instructors not only teach with commitment but also endeavor to gain more knowledge in their subject area. Granted, all instructors have their own teaching philosophy, whether they develop it themselves or learn it from other sources (Hightower et al., 2002). This paper will therefore discuss what constitutes the best teaching philosophy and the resulting impact on learners.
Effective teaching philosophy
There are several factors that influence the ability of a teacher to transfer knowledge of his/her subject area to students. These include knowledge regarding child development, knowledge about diverse cultural influences and learning styles, diagnostic skills and communication skills (Bosshardt & Watts, 2001; Anaya, 1999). In addition, a quality teacher must create an environment that is favorable to learning and make use of the resources within and outside the classroom to achieve his/her goal. Therefore, it seems that the best teaching philosophy entails a number of activities that augment student outcomes. Although there is some consensus regarding certain aspects of what constitutes a good teaching philosophy, the field remains open to dynamic debate regarding the matter at hand (Hightower et al., 2002).
There are varieties of teaching methods that an instructor can use. For example, it is helpful, stimulating and educational to link the daily news or other incidents associated with the class subject matter and discuss those with the students (Becker & Watts, 2001). One could probably best engage the students by asking them to bring to every lecture an article from the news that is connected to the class and analyze it to gain first-hand experience.
Another example is to divide the class into groups and present them with scenarios that include ethical dilemmas and discuss how each group would deal with each case. This helps students to be more open-minded and to appreciate the different thoughts and opinions of their peers. It serves as a miniature field practicum to identify different ethical cases, which will ease the shock before they engage in real life cases. Also, asking students to develop and give a Power Point presentation would be helpful in enhancing their confidence and rhetoric skills.
A good teacher must be able to discern nonverbal messages communicated by students while teaching. Most learners convey these messages via body movements and facial expression. An expert instructor must be able to see and discern the meaning behind nonverbal messages and respond accordingly. The following section will discuss various ways a teacher can develop his/her expertise and teach effectively.
Concentrating on the relevant
An expert tutor must observe keenly what students are doing and pay close attention on information and events vital to the judgments that he/she will make. The teacher must take note of whether students are enjoying the subject and if they are communicating amongst themselves. The instructor can help them focus on important details by using a checklist that recognizes student feedbacks pertinent to the learning process (Schempp & Johnson, 2006, p. 29).
Interpreting observations
An excellent instructor observes what the students are doing and make sound decisions regarding which ensuing activity will capture the attention of students and enhance their performance. In a nutshell, the teacher must have cognitive ability to discern what is happening within the classroom and integrate that knowledge in the subsequent learning lessons (Cabrera & Nasa, 2002). One effective technique to develop cognitive ability is by collaborating with a teacher who has successfully employed it before (Schempp & Johnson, 2006, p. 31).
Adjusting into the atypical
Skilled and knowledgeable teachers can discern how students normally react when they struggle with a certain section of the content or learn a specific technique. An expert teacher must therefore be able to adjust and understand if his/her students react differently to a particular learning concept/content. It is thus imperative that a teacher makes an unequivocal attempt to comprehend why and how some students learn a new concept with great ease with others struggle. The teacher must also demonstrate patience in order to understand what is happening and respond appropriately (Schempp & Johnson, 2006, p. 230; Shenaar-Golan & Gutman, 2013).
Developing a critical eye
An ardent teacher must be able to employ what he/she observes within the classroom and use that knowledge to improve his/her teaching methods. The dynamic environment of the schoolroom does not grant time for intellectual reflection but proceedings can be observed and then analyzed carefully later. Thus, a good teacher must continually exercise his/her teaching skills in order to improve teaching. This is because teachers do not possess inborn ability to discern what is taking place as students struggle to learn new concepts. In addition, they can observe an event unfolding on several occasions but that does not imply they will automatically understand it (Schempp & Johnson, 2006, p. 231).
Finding the best technique
Some scholars seem to suggest that they have developed the best techniques of learning. However, such arguments lack sufficient grounding on the basis of the discussion above. A good teacher must begin by accepting that teaching is employed to achieve a variety of educational goals. In addition, teaching assist students gain information on various topical issues and is employed on student with different cultural background, different levels of cognitive skill and varying intellectual prowess. Similarly, teachers have different cultural backgrounds with varying teaching experiences.
It is against this backdrop that the prospect of contemplating that some teaching methods are better than others cannot suffice (Weimer, 2008; Bonner, 1999, p. 12). Nonetheless, a cautious tactic to pedagogical techniques may be counterintuitive. The moment a teacher discovers a technique that suits his/her curriculum, his/her learners, and his/her method of teaching; he/she will automatically share it with his/her colleagues (Weimer, 2008). However, sharing such knowledge with other teachers does not qualify it as the best teaching method given that student have different cultural backgrounds and learn in different environments.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, there are varieties of teaching methods employed by teachers to transfer knowledge to students. These methods include concentrating on the relevant, interpreting observations, developing a critical eye, and finding the best technique. In addition, a good teacher must begin by accepting that teaching is employed to achieve a variety of educational goals. Therefore, there is no single teaching method that is most effective in any learning process.
References
Anaya, G. (1999). College impact on student learning: Comparing the use of self reported gains, standardized test scores, and college grades. Research in Higher Education, 40(5), 499-527.
Becker, W., & Watts, M. (2001). Teaching Methods in U.S. Undergraduate Economic Courses. Journal of Economic Education, 269-279.
Bonner, S. (1999). Choosing Teaching Methods Based on Learning Objectives: An Integrative Framework. Issue in Accounting Education, 14(1), 12-39.
Bosshardt, W, & Watts, M. (2001). Comparing student and instructor evaluations of teaching. Journal of Economic Education, 32 (1), 317.
Cabrera, A., & Nasa, S. (2002). Classroom Teaching Practices: Ten Lessons Learned. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
Hativa, N., & Birenbaum, M. (2000). Who prefers what? Disciplinary differences in students preferred approaches to teaching and learning styles. Research in Higher Education, 41(2), 209-236.
Hightower, A., Delgado, R., Lloyd, S., Wittenstein, R., Sellers, K., & Swanson, C. (2011). Improving Student Learning By Supporting Quality Teaching: Key Issues, Effective Strategies. Bethesda, MD: Editorial Projects in Education, Inc.
Schempp, P. G. & Johnson, S. W. (2006). Learning to See: Developing the Perception of an Expert Teacher. JOPERD, 77(6), 2933.
Shenaar-Golan, V., & Gutman, C. (2013). Curiosity and the cat: Teaching strategies that foster curiosity. Social Work with Groups, 36 (4), 349.
Weimer, M. (2008). Teaching and Learning Research in Higher Education, held April 25-26, 2008, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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