Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Justin Zweck
My approach to teaching biology is very simple and consists of two basic goals; first, to convey
the fundamental concepts of the subject, and second, to promote independent, critical thinking
about these concepts.
I developed this simple approach when I first began as a TA in introductory biology at Saint
Louis University. I did so because I felt that it would nicely match my students first time learning
in a college setting, as well as my first time teaching in a college setting. Over time, however, I
began to realize that this framework could be applied to other subjects, in big and small classes,
and in essentially any learning setting I might encounter as an instructor. I feel that a flipped
classroom approach, in which students first view lecture materials prior to the days class, can
best facilitate the synthesis between comprehension of fundamentals and critical thinking. In a
flipped classroom, the instructor still delivers a shortened version of the lecture in class, but
also leaves time for active learning. Most importantly, it is an approach that I feel comfortable
and enthusiastic about, and which permits me to be fully engaged in the teaching process.
For example, as a guest lecturer in Plants and Fungi at Saint Louis University, I wanted to
avoid filling all 75 minutes with powerpoint slides, which would force the students to do nothing
more than take notes. Instead, after revisiting the fundamentals of the days topic (stems and
leaves), I asked them to describe, draw, predict, and present how the anatomy of aquatic plants
might differ from terrestrial plants. This not only reinforced the fundamentals in a way that
lecturing alone never could, it also served to foster critical thinking within the classroom, where
students can learn from each other and the teacher in a dynamic environment. Additionally, by
promoting critical thinking on a regular basis in class, students are better prepared to answer
open ended questions during formative assessments (i.e. tests, essays, and presentations).
Such critical thinking is crucial in the learning process, because it creates a sense of ownership
in the learner. While rote memorization can begin to feel stale, critical thinking engages the
learner and transfers command of the subject into their hands. In this way, the students may
absorb material from my instruction, and then take their ideas beyond the classroom. To me,
this moment is the real essence of teaching, and I aim to integrate critical thinking into each
session so that it becomes second nature. Indeed, I strive to create a classroom environment in
which students feel that they are scientists, and not merely outsiders memorizing material for a
test.
Ive enjoyed connecting with students in various teaching settings, from a classroom of experts
in the Missouri Botanical Gardens Floristic Taxonomy course, to 100, 300, and 400 level
courses. Ive been especially committed to diversity in education, as well. This began even
before graduate school, when I served as an ESL tutor for the Madison Literacy Network, and
as an ESL teacher in Brazil. I will always continue to be committed to diversity in STEM, and Ive
gained perspective in this regard through activities such as CUTS seminar series and SLU
Biologys Diversity in STEM journal club. Indeed, I feel that my teaching formula (clearly
Statement of Teaching Philosophy- Justin Zweck

conveying fundamentals and fostering critical thinking) applies to all people, regardless of
background or learning style.
As I follow this simple teaching formula, I strive to comport myself in a clear, compassionate,
helpful, and ultimately genuine manner. The best way Ive found to ensure that I do this is to
always remain a student myself. I continue to take various classes (like yoga, art, and dance) in
my personal life, and I feel that this provides me with an important perspective for when Im on
the other side of the classroom. Ive noticed that I dont need the teacher to be a perfect expert,
totally knowledgeable in every way. Instead I look for the teacher to be clear about the basics
and enthusiastic about my ideas, and this is what I aspire to achieve when I am the instructor.

Statement of Teaching Philosophy- Justin Zweck