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Rachul
Teaching
Philosophy
The
most
fulfilling
experiences
I
have
had
as
a
student
did
not
necessarily
involve
learning
new
facts,
but
learning
new
ways
of
seeing
the
world
around
me,
and
as
a
consequence
learning
new
things
about
myself
and
how
I
operate
within
the
world.
The
exposure
to
new
perspectives
and
new
methods
for
problem-solving,
as
well
as
the
opportunity
to
hone
my
critical-thinking
skills,
provided
me
with
a
chance
to
explore
my
own
creativity,
develop
compassion,
and
inspired
me
to
take
an
active
interest
in
the
communities
to
which
I
belong.
teacher,
I
have
the
challenge
and
opportunity
to
work
with
students
in
many
disciplines
and
with
a
variety
of
backgrounds.
My
main
goal
in
teaching
is
for
students
to
leave
my
classroom
knowing
how
they
can
become
better
writers
regardless
of
their
purpose
and
audiences
for
writing.
In
other
words,
I
aim
for
students
to
become
better
learners
of
writing
in
the
many
contexts
they
will
find
themselves
in
now
and
in
the
future.
To
achieve
this,
I
incorporate
4
main
elements
into
my
teaching
opportunities.
1.
Relevance
I
believe
that
first
and
foremost,
students
need
to
understand
how
a
course
is
relevant
to
their
lives.
In
order
to
be
able
to
connect
content
with
students
lives,
it
is
key
for
me
to
take
an
interest
in
my
students,
where
they
are
now,
and
where
they
are
heading.
Whether
students
are
first
year
undergraduates
who
are
unsure
of
where
their
futures
lie,
or
graduate
students
who
may
have
clear
career
goals,
each
student
brings
unique
experiences
to
the
classroom
that
should
help
shape
my
curriculum
and
course
content.
I
make
course
content
relevant
by
first
assessing
and
then
building
on
students
previous
learning
experiences
and
skills,
as
well
as
taking
into
account
their
extracurricular
lives.
2.
Flexibility
In
order
to
make
course
content
relevant,
flexibility
must
be
built
into
each
course
and
each
lesson
plan
to
allow
for
the
teachable
moments
when
course
content
intersects
with
student
engagement.
In
taking
a
sincere
interest
in
my
students,
I
also
account
for
the
variety
of
learning
styles
present
in
each
individual
classroom
and
adjust
course
content
and
activities
accordingly.
To
ensure
various
learning
styles
are
accounted
for,
I
incorporate
written,
visual,
and
aural
components
into
each
class.
Flexibility
includes
not
Christen Rachul
only
individual
student
needs,
but
also
attention
to
class
size,
level
of
education,
discipline,
and
objectives
for
the
course.
3.
Safe
and
relaxed
environment
A
safe
and
relaxed
environment
is
key
to
fostering
student
engagement.
I
create
this
environment
through
practical
means
of
learning
student
names
and
by
taking
a
sincere
interest
in
students
lives
and
their
needs
by
engaging
in
informal
conversation
when
appropriate
before,
after,
and
during
class,
as
well
as
during
office
hours.
I
also
aim
to
create
a
classroom
atmosphere
where
students
feel
free
to
ask
questions
or
seek
clarification
at
any
point.
Most
importantly,
I
am
patient
with
my
students
as
they
grapple
with
new
concepts
and
learn
new
skills,
and
I
provide
time
and
space
in
each
class
to
work
through
problems
either
by
themselves,
in
small
groups
or
through
whole
class
discussions.
By
employing
formative
assessment
methods
in
my
courses,
I
also
create
an
environment
where
learning
is
the
focus,
thereby
providing
students
time
and
space
to
develop
their
skills
and
knowledge.
My
intent
is
for
students
to
feel
safe
to
explore
and
debate,
and
to
view
me
as
a
guide
and
not
the
ultimate
authority
on
what
is
right
or
wrong.
4.
Be
a
role
model
Finally, to achieve each of the above goals, I view myself as a role model for my
students.
I
model
two
things
in
my
classroom.
First,
I
treat
my
students
with
the
same
respect
and
grace
I
expect
from
them.
I
achieve
this
by
starting
and
ending
class
on
time,
being
prepared
for
each
class,
and
upholding
my
commitments
such
as
returning
assignments
in
a
given
time
period,
responding
to
students
emails,
and
being
available
during
office
hours.
I
also
provide
students
with
grace
when
circumstances
make
the
previous
difficult.
Second,
I
also
model
for
my
students
how
to
be
an
effective
life-long
learner.
I
achieve
this
through
demonstrating
that
it
is
okay
to
not
know
everything,
and
by
providing
tools
for
discovering
answers.
I
build
mechanisms
for
collaborative
learning
into
each
course,
where
I
can
expand
my
own
knowledge
alongside
my
students
and
demonstrate
ways
of
discovering.
As
an
effective,
life-long
learner,
I
will
also
continue
learn
about
the
scholarship
of
teaching
through
reading,
research,
and
attending
conferences
about
teaching
in
my
discipline.