Teaching Philosophy
"To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge" — Kongzi, Chinese intellectual teaching the importance of understanding personal capabilities and limits in order to attain true knowledge.
Effective teaching requires adeptness at balancing instruction between collaboration and lecture. All human beings have the capacity to share valuable insight based on their unique reasoning, so questions and discussions are crucial in the learning process. Instructors must encourage respect in the diversity of thoughts while also displaying mastery of the material being taught through its exposition in a lecture. Attaining this balance requires dedication and professionalism.
Education is a form of performance where both the teacher and the student play the central roles. Too often teachers focus on their instruction methods, losing sight of the students' consciousness. Society has also placed much scrutiny on teachers without considering that students unwilling to participate in education can also hurt the process. Learning requires that all actors play their part. I believe that the best way to encourage learning is to help students learn how to learn. Clarity in expectations and advice on how to complete assignments will guide them in the right direction. It is always wise to foster dignity in students by making them trust in their capabilities. |
Diversity Statement
Teaching Experience
From 2014 to 2015, I was a Spanish Language Instructor at the Bush School at Texas A&M University. I taught basic and intermediate Spanish. The class focused on learning to hold a conversation in Spanish. My objective was for students to become comfortable with speaking Spanish by helping them learn how to talk about a personal set of hobbies. I also shared with them songs in Spanish to teach students about the different cultures and help them practice listening. All of my students passed their required language examination.
During the same period, I was a Graduate Writing Consultant at Texas A&M University's Writing Center. I served as a peer to undergraduate and graduate students, domestic & international, helping them improve their academic writing, oral presentation skills, and guiding them on how to work together in group projects. The main goal was to help the students attain confidence in their capacity to write in the university setting. My work as a consultant also included giving advice on students' resumes and curriculum vitae, professional letters, and practiced written and oral English with international students. During the process, I also learned much about my own writing and speaking skills.
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Beginning in Fall 2016, I will serve as teaching assistant for courses at the University of California, Davis.
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