David Maxwell
Teaching Philosophy
My goal in teaching is to see to it
that my students acquire the tools they need for life-long independent
learning. What are these tools? There are essentially three
levels of information that I expect my students to learn. The first
is the basic vocabulary and factual content of the subject. This
is the foundation on which all other learning in the subject rests.
The second level involves the tools that are necessary to learn more information,
and how to use them. An example of such material is a key to species
of trees. I would rather have my students learn to use a key, so
that they can find any information they might need in the future, than
have them simply memorize 40 different tree species. The third level
involves critical thinking skills. The scientific method and hypothesis
testing are important methods for examining the world around us.
They are vital concepts for any student in any discipline.
I think that
the key to teaching is in understanding students as individual people.
Once you know the things that interest and motivate them, it becomes much
easier to relate information and to inspire them to expend the effort to
learn more. In smaller classes, such as those I taught at Juniata,
getting to know each student was a relatively simple matter. Larger classes,
such as those I taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tend to
be more impersonal. One way in which I remedied this was to take
photographs of the students with their names so that I could memorize them
quickly. When you can call your students by name, you show that you
respect and care about them and their learning needs. The second
thing I do to get to know my students is to survey them about their professional
goals, background, and expectations for the course. This information
is useful when I design lectures and laboratories, because I can then tailor
class activities to the learning skills, talents, and abilities of my students.
For instance, in my Introduction to Plant Pathology Laboratory, my survey
revealed that about a third of the students were interested in turf grasses
and golf course management. Because of this, I tried to use examples
of turf diseases whenever I could. These examples were more meaningful
to them because they had had first-hand experience with turf. Finally,
I like to give an “exam” on the first day to gauge their level of knowledge
of the subject and of the background necessary to understand the subject.
This helps me to identify individuals who need additional help to succeed
in the course, as well as those who would profit from challenges beyond
the scope of the material typically presented in class.
I try to create
a positive learning environment, one aspect of which is frequent constructive
feedback. This information is useful to both the students and myself.
For instance, in a laboratory setting, before the students leave, I like
to informally quiz them on the material we covered in lab. On the
one hand, this lets them know what material they have mastered, and what
they need to review. It also gives them information on which aspects
of the material I consider essential and expect them to know. On
the other hand, by interviewing all of the students, I get immediate feedback
on which concepts I was successful in explaining and which information
needs a different approach. I can then use this information to design
the next laboratory or lecture. The informal quiz also allows me
to identify concepts which individual students were unclear about, and
gives me an opportunity to clarify important points.
Because I
believe in providing generous amounts of constructive feedback, I like
to give many short exams, rather than a few lengthy ones. My exams
are designed so that they mirror my beliefs on the three levels of information
I want students to learn. The first part of each exam is information
that every student should know. It is the basic vocabulary and factual
content of the subject. This makes up about 65% of the exam.
The next 20% of the exam tests the students’ abilities to use the tools
that are necessary to learn more. For example, I might present the
students with a branch from an unknown tree, and ask them to use a key
to determine the species. The final 15% of the exam tests the students’
ability to synthesize information. I prefer to present this part
of the exam in the form of a number of essay-style questions from which
the student may choose. I also like to provide a bonus question so
that I can challenge even the best students. This question is a thinking
question which is designed to be an opportunity for the enthusiastic student
to go deeper into the subject.
Working with
students who are science majors is enjoyable. It is rewarding to
share what I have learned with excited individuals who are our future scientists.
By being involved in training these students, I can have a bigger impact
moving human knowledge forward than I could by simply working as a research
scientist myself. However, although it is more difficult, it is even more
rewarding to reach students who will go into fields other than science.
It is with these students that I have the greatest potential to influence
society in a positive way. Some will use their knowledge in their art,
or business, or in politics. But regardless of the work that people
do, we are all participants in governing our society. Because an
informed electorate is vital to a democracy, I believe that all people
would benefit by becoming conversant in science-related issues and by applying
scientific decision-making skills in their daily lives. For instance,
modern biotechnology presents us with some new ethical questions.
Unfortunately, however, Hollywood movies typically fail to address these
real issues and descend to invoking a cliched Frankenstein-complex.
By teaching students to rationally analyze issues, sort fact from opinion,
and to base their opinions on facts and logic, I will help to better prepare
students to survive and thrive in an increasingly technological society.
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Last updated: 6/25/98
Generated by David
Maxwell