Teaching Philosophy:
Mobility
In order to make theological courses mobile for as many student learning styles as possible, I use diverse lesson-related activities and make course information readily available across multiple platforms, within and beyond the classroom context.
1) I offer visual/auditory/melodic learners...
In-class lectures which incorporate songs, colorful presentations, vivid images, and relevant video clips, as well as outer-class options to watch and reflect upon spiritually-themed music videos and international films.
2) I offer sequential/simultaneous/indirect experience learners...
In-class interactive presentations and guides which explain key concepts and summarize the outer-class readings/viewing assignments.
3) I offer tactile/kinesthetic/direct experience learners...
In-class opportunities to conduct brief “mini-presentations” of their own conclusions about course content, as well as outer-class options to share their engagements with the material on “Social Media Walls” powered by online content aggregators such as Wakelet or walls.io.
4) I offer reflective/verbal/interactive learners...
In-class discussions, small group activities, and question-and-answer sessions to talk out course information, as well as outer-class options to write out what they are learning, which include formal essays and informal postings on the online course discussion board.
I offer these avenues of mobility because I realize that diverse students not only have different learning styles; they also have diverse individual life situations, such as unexpected health issues, unpredictable family emergencies, time-consuming sports/extracurricular schedules, and personal priorities. Life itself teaches us that one teaching style does not fit every student! This also applies to a diversity of knowledge levels. Students who are studying theology for the first time may already be experts in their field, deep thinkers, eloquent writers, and successful digital content creators. Rather than limiting these students to being theological newbies, these avenues of mobility allow students to “pick up” course topics with their areas of expertise, so that they “carry” that information with them on their particular journeys of growth. Thus, mobility is the term which captures how my courses strive to be the living, breathing version of the digital devices students consult for soul-searching!
As I grow in my teaching career, I learn that I am making myself mobile and agile to the learning community. I created my “Mask Professor” digital avatar as an online presence who keeps students informed and engaged with course material. I mentor, counsel, advise, guide, partner with, and generally help any and all students/colleagues/faculty who reach out to me. I speak at many formal and informal events, help prepare undergraduate symposium presentations, share insights about comprehensive exam preparation, and offer suggestions for thesis and dissertation writing. I donate my time to represent graduate students needs and concerns at faculty department meetings. I donate my talent to community organizations dedicated to bringing people of differing world-views together. By making myself mobile to students and agile for the learning community, I enrich and expand everyone’s experiences and sense of meaning.
I teach many ways. I speak to diverse life situations and areas of expertise. I make the material and myself mobile.