This entry is an example of a teaching statement that I produced for English 7765, Advanced Teaching in Technical and Professional

Communication. This entry was produced according to these parameters: Provide general thoughts about teaching approach and philosophy Provide specific reflections about the aspects of teaching most applicable to your teaching Demonstrate critical thinking through references to assigned readings Organization o Introduction that conveys purpose of statement and provides a mini table of contents o Headings used to indicate organization o Short summary in conclusion part of the paper Synthesize information from assigned readings Documentation: at least 10-15 works o Articles from professional journals o Books that are research publications o Postings and discussions other than the authors may be used o 2-3 valid websites Use APA style consistently

This entry is included in the portfolio because it shows my ability to: Conduct scholarly research Synthesize information from secondary sources Express my thoughts about my own teaching approach and philosophy Reflect on the aspects of teaching that apply to me Use Microsoft Word to format the document according to the specifications of the instructor Demonstrate my knowledge of taught concepts

In preparing this item, I drew extensively from: Bain, Ken. (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Filene, P. (2005). Joy of teaching: A practical guide for new college instructors. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Forward by Ken Bain. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (Wiley). Svinicki, M., & McKeachie, Wilbert J. (2011). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Sutton 2

Teaching Statement Tecarra L. Sutton ENGL 7765 Dr. Sherry Southard

Sutton 3 Introduction For the purpose of this reflective teaching statement, I will discuss my identity as a teacher, how I plan to understand the needs of my students, and the projected aims and outcomes for my future classes. Although this statement is reflective in nature, my philosophies are supported from information obtained from our three required textbooks and one outside reading. In effort to organize the content, this statement has been separated into the following sections: Introduction Part One: Who Am I as a Teacher? Part Two: How Will I Understand My Students? Part Three: How Do I Define My Aims And Outcomes? Conclusion

Part One: Who Am I as a Teacher? Before enrolling in this course, I had not considered how important it is to understand ones role as a teacher and how that role relates to ones personal identity. Although I have not yet had the opportunity to teach on the collegiate level, I would like to bring into the classroom my personal belief that all students are capable of learning and growth. Given my middle school teaching experience, I could have talked about the teacher I am now, but the truth is, I am not the teacher that I want to be yet. According to Peter Filene, becoming great in the teaching profession is a process (2005). With that said, I have a clear idea of the traits I would like to exhibit as a teacherenthusiasm, optimism, fairness, and empowerment. Because I am a people person, I have always been enthusiastic about meeting new students, learning about them, and teaching in my content area. I plan to bring my excitement for my content into the collegiate classroom and use it as shield against boredom, listlessness,

Sutton 4 and disinterest. While I understand that one cannot always get students to enjoy the content, an enthusiastic attitude can brighten up a lesson and engage the students in lively discussion much quicker than a passionless lecture can (Bain, 2004). Another trait that I want to exemplify as a teacher is that of fairness. When a teacher is fair, students are more apt to respond more positively to constructive criticism. I would like to create an environment that is comfortable and safe---where my students are unafraid to be wrong and strong enough to take criticism well. In being a fair teacher, one must be honest with his or her students about the expectations and his or her own limitations (Filene, 2005). Also, a fair teacher is one who encourages students to engage in ethical behavior, models such behavior, and expects fairness and equality to be practiced in the classroom (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). Optimism is the cousin of enthusiasm and is important in any classroom. With an optimistic attitude, a teacher can maintain high expectations even when the students are resistant. A teacher who keeps an optimistic attitude can also encourage his or her students to adopt a similar attitude when a task gets difficult. Sometimes, students need encouragement and an optimistic attitude can act as a catalyst to keep students on track and focused on learning, even when they are not initially successful. Additionally, when teachers believe that their students can learn and achieve academically, this attitude of optimism permeates the classroom and creates a positive classroom culture. The last trait that I would like to exhibit in the classroom is one of empowerment. As a student, I have experienced the benefits of being empowered to learn and explore. When I am in the classroom, I would like to give my students the tools that they need to succeed academically. If I am the type of teacher that simply feeds my students what I know, what would they learn other than my own regurgitated thoughts? Highly effective educators nurture students and help

Sutton 5 them become confident enough to think independently and seek their own answers. As Palloff and Pratt suggest, as the instructor embraces a facilitators role, self-directed learning can occur (2007). I plan to be the type of educator that inspires my students toward lifelong

questioning and scholarship by acting as a facilitator of learning, rather than a gatekeeper.

Part Two: How Will I Understand My Students? Teaching should be learner or student centered; therefore; it is imperative that teachers understand their students (Filene, 2005). Just as a writer should understand his or her audience in order to meet its needs, a teacher should make an effort to understand the needs of his or her students in a similar fashion. One important factor in understanding ones students is establishing presence as an instructor and fostering connectedness in the classroom (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). As an instructor that will teach in the traditional and online setting, I must implement strategies that will help my students recognize my accessibility as an instructor and their connectedness as a class. In order to foster community in my classes, I plan to begin encouraging my students to communicate and get to know each other as early as the first meeting. One way to get students to begin establishing relationships is by using ice breakers or activities designed to dispel tension and provide students with a fun way to introduce themselves to the class (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). Another way to encourage community building and begin understanding my students is to ask them to participate in low stakes writing activities, such as briefly answering questions about their expectations and initial feelings about the class (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). Additionally, asking students about what they already know about the content or what they would like to explore is another simple method of understanding students needs (Svinicki

Sutton 6 & McKeachie, 2011). By letting students know that this evaluative information is ungraded and anonymous, teachers can ease student apprehension and allow students to feel comfortable being honest about their needs and expectations (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). In addition to establishing an environment of community and connectedness in an effort to understand students, teachers must also become aware of cultural differences and the needs of diverse students (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). Because I understand that culture can be important factor in how students learn, I will make an effort to provide opportunities for exposure to culturally diverse materials and model respectful practices that enable all students to feel welcome and safe in the learning environment.

Part Three: How Do I Define My Aims And Outcomes? In order to define my aims and outcomes for the class, I plan to start by creating a syllabus that outlines my policies, grading procedures, and expectations for the courses I teach (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011). Since my first collegiate teaching experience will be in a developmental English setting, I will also have to include the educational expectations and goals I have set for the class as well as the products that I expect the students to be able to produce. Although I expect writing a syllabus to be a challenge, I understand that I do not have to be an expert at the practice right now. I plan to utilize my colleagues, professional journals, and teaching experiences with my students to eventually perfect my syllabus (Filene, 2005). By thinking critically about what I want my students to take away from my course and committing to two or three of the most important objectives, I can effectively create a syllabus that is reasonable (Filene, 2005). As I define my aims and outcomes, I will also take into account the amount of grading required, the spacing of assignments, and the time spent outside

Sutton 7 of the classroom on instructional work. I will try my best maintain balance and keep myself from becoming overwhelmed by an excessive workload (Filene, 2005). While I have not decided what my specific outcomes are at this time, I do know that I expect to teach my students how to communicate with others, verbally and in written form, in a way that is clear and easy to understand. I also plan to teach my students how to find their own answers by showing them how to use reference materials effectively. Once students have been empowered to find their own answers, the teacher simply becomes a guide and self-directed learning begins (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). Conclusion Although I have yet to teach in the collegiate classroom, I feel more prepared now than before enrolling in this course. Initially, I experienced feelings of uneasiness and stress at the thought of instructing adults, but as I participated in scholarly discussion with my classmates, read instructional texts, and reflected on my own teaching practices, my feelings of uneasiness gradually began to fade. Reflection and discussion have made learning a more rewarding and engaging process for me. As a result, I feel more confident in my ability to create a successful learning environment for others. This course created a safe place for me to learn, reflect, and change. I only hope to foster the same type of learning environment for my future students.

Sutton 8 References Bain, Ken. (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Filene, P. (2005). Joy of teaching: A practical guide for new college instructors. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Forward by Ken Bain. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (Wiley). Svinicki, M., & McKeachie, Wilbert J. (2011). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.