My teaching philosophy can be summed up in one word: connection. We learn best when we can connect with our teachers, our fellow learners and the subject we study.
In order to create connections with learners as their instructor, I strive to be approachable, responsive and an expert in my field of communication. Humor, positivity and personal touches are the primary means in which I try to make students comfortable with me. I create playful Bitmojis, show funny videos, dress up for Halloween, pass out candy on the first dayof class and share personal anecdotes related to the lessons. I want students to know they can reach me when they need me and that I am paying attention to what they have to say. I learn their names the first week of class. I have a dedicated text number for students so they can contact me at their convenience. I return all communications with 24 hours and provide feedback on assignments within a week of submission. Student feedback throughout the course guides my decisions for the following semesters. This might look like adding an instructional video to clarify or scrapping a lesson completely and creating something new. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if students find me approachable and responsive unless I am also competent as an educator and a communicator. I work to model effective communication behaviors (ethical, respectful, open-minded, reflective, and clear) when I present, in the emails I send, the feedback I give and the one-on-one conversations I have. My courses are extremely organized and purposeful and I use a wide variety of instructional methods that signify my dedication to creating optimal learning opportunities for my students.
Equally important are connections between learners. This requires creating opportunities for meaningful interaction and creating a comfortable space
for those interactions. Because communication apprehension can be a barrier for many learners, I spend a great deal of time making sure they are comfortable with one another. The entire first week of class is spent learning each other’s names and establishing class norms and expectations for one another like respect and consideration. Online students are asked to create an introduction video in which they share something odd, weird, unusual or unique about themselves. I have students play games like Gestures, Taboo, and Jeopardy because they offer low-stakes opportunities for students to be vulnerable in non-threatening ways. Learning activities like role playing, active listening, mock interviews, hot topic discussions and peer feedback are all methods that encourage learner-to-learner interaction.
In our communication course, we practice with one another communication skills like how to work effectively in a small group, manage conflict, and have tough conversations about race, gender, and power.
Finally, learners need to connect with the course content. This requires that the learning materials are accessible, engaging and relevant.
Accessibility first requires clear organization. The number one comment I receive repeatedly on course evaluations is that students appreciate how organized and clearly my courses are built and delivered. I use a variety of instructional techniques and technologies to allow students access to the content in different ways. I believe innovation is my greatest strength as a teacher. I seek creative ways to provide memorable, meaningful and engaging learning experiences for my students. Lecture is a rarity in my courses. Every class or module requires that students interact with the content in the form of journals, discussions, interactive digital lessons, presentations, learning games like Kahoot! or Quizzizz, or movie projects. At the core of every activity, I want students to see the relevance to their personal and professional lives. My favorite student comments are those that rave about how this course helped them communicate better in their important relationships. Then I know- they’ve made the connections.