My Educational Philosophy
Knowledge is power! Yeah, I know this statement is terribly cliché, but it is, nevertheless, very true. Sir Francis Bacon was the first to speak this truth in the year 1597 and the relative significance of this statement has not been diluted by time, even though it often falls on deaf ears. Do not let this happen to you, the Learner! You must understand that knowledge is and will always be the eternal cure for ignorance and blind faith. I firmly believe that there is no realm or domain of reality that is forbidden to the awesome splendor of the human brain. Ultimately, my aim as an educator is to instill in my students a firm appreciation for learning and to express this learning in their day-to-day personal and professional affairs. I desire to facilitate within all of my students the ability to seek knowledge, to critically evaluate all aspects of reality, and to establish beliefs and values founded in reason, empiricism, and reflective doubt.
A good, quality education is key to success. Obtaining advance education is no longer a luxury. It is very unfortunate that obtaining a higher education in the United States is so financially draining for many people. Often, a student is drowning in student loan debt by the time they finish their undergraduate education. Still, it is my firm belief that an advance education is absolutely essential for a life that is stable, satisfactory, and generative. Other factors are also necessary for these characteristics of life, but possessing a quality education is certainly very high on the list! As an educator, I attempt to aid students in this realization, by opening their minds to the possibilities of learning.
The ability of the human being to learn, to reflect on learning, and to improve strategies for acquiring knowledge are abilities that I cherish and do NOT take for granted. My own personal struggles with learning in childhood engraved in me a sense that learning should be continuous and dynamic. No one should ever be settled with the state of their current knowledge base. Your base of knowledge ought to be dynamic--always changing, always progressing, and never settling until death.
I have high expectations of those seeking a higher education. Arguably, one does not have a say in how their education is forged in childhood and adolescence; however, when one endeavors to acquire a higher education in their adulthood, then it is up to them to make sure that this experience is the best and most useful it can possibly be.
I firmly expect all of the students enrolled in my courses...
- to be studious and seek to overcome academic deficiencies.
- to be responsible and accountable for their own learning and overall education.
- to be self-disciplined.
- to persevere in the face of obstacles.
- to possess a strong work ethic.
- to strike a balance between the demands of higher education and their personal and professional lives.
- to make necessary sacrifices to obtain a quality education.
- to NOT make excuses for failure or poor performance.
- to have faith in their abilities and potential.
- to participate FULLY in class and NOT stand by idle.
- to demonstrate rational forethought and to be proactive.
- to take advantage of all opportunities afforded to them.
- to ask questions and actively seek answers.
- to NOT rely on blind faith.
- to think critically and dynamically.
- to believe that knowledge is POWER!!!
To close, let me leave you with a quote that guides my thinking about all things:
"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time". --T.S. Eliot