Dr. Heather Ricketts

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is simply grounded in 3 issues: - helping students learn and appreciate the fundamental content of the course by developing critical thinking, preparing them to function effectively in their field, and inculcating an interest in and if possible a passion for the area.  I am known to be a thorough marker which students tend to fear, as unfortunately, this is viewed as hard marking!  Ultimately, however, my numerous comments are greatly appreciated, especially for examination preparation.

In spite of my marking notoriety, I embrace a caring and nurturing style because I am aware that students’ backgrounds are varied and so too their routes to UWI.  I believe that the role of lecturer is not simply academic, but rather broader, helping students achieve their potential but without committing ethical, procedural or legal breaches.  This stance, I admit might be a function of my discipline and the training my Department delivers, but also an awareness of the tremendous amount of stress that many students carry.  In some instances it is necessary to help students improve their writing skills in order to excel.  This may mean, apart from very thorough marking of assignments, referral to the Writing Centre.  In other instances it might be necessary to advise a student to audit a course that would be helpful, or make representation on behalf of a finalizing student trying to source funding to complete the degree and therefore ease their stress of worrying about accommodation and living expenses.  Sometimes too, the job entails providing a listening ear or comfort to a student who has suffered the loss of a loved one or has been diagnosed with a serious illness or has had to attend a crime scene to identify the body of a loved one, or entails organizing interventions for those who require counseling or psychological intervention.  At times, it can also require a tough, no-holes barred talk with a student who is underperforming.  Even at the graduate level, this caring and nurturing style is still required to help students who have been away from the classroom for an extended period, adjust to student life and regain confidence, or help students acquire the disposition to become well-known in their fields.  Advice and counsel are provided.  It is important to be aware that the ‘Diploma Disease’, and the attendant huge interest in certification, means that not all students’ motives are about obtaining an education. 

I entered academia after a period of years working in the public sector where I honed practical skills in the area of social policy research, development and analysis, and strengthened my scholarly appreciation for the discipline.  My teaching has therefore reflected this broad and deep knowledge and experience.  Each year as I meet new cohorts of undergraduates and graduates, my teaching ensures that they are equipped for ready contribution to their societies.  Because I have maintained a public service driven relationship with the social sector in Jamaica, I ensure that my teaching is up to date in the respective areas so that the students ultimately benefit.  I am usually able to make the course come alive through this experience and the sharing of examples of application in local and regional contexts.  The relationship with the sector has also afforded me ease in being able to call on the expertise of colleagues in the sector who are invited to deliver guest lectures on important and relevant topics or issues.
As a citizen of the Caribbean, I find myself infusing a concern for the region in the way that I teach.  At the forefront of my mind always is how competent will the students be in the area if they find employment or how prepared will the students be in the area if they go on to acquire higher education.  My question to myself is usually “are you adequately preparing (Did the course adequately prepare) the students to advance the region?”
In my teaching of 3 year-long research based courses, 1 undergraduate and 2 graduate, I have relied on a ‘Reflections’ exercise to evaluate the course/me and determine what, if anything, might be changed or modified the next time around.  Students pursuing the undergraduate Capstone Research Course in Social Policy and Development, for example, are asked the following questions:

1.    Have you gained any theoretical understandings from this course?  If so, what?
2.    This Major links two critical areas of sociology, Social Policy and Sociology of Development.  What have you gained from doing this Major?
3.    Since the Capstone provided the opportunity to undertake a year-long research project, what   comments would you make in regard to this specific approach?
4.    The process engendered by the Capstone course required considerable group-work skills – exchange, teamwork, integration of ideas, and respect for individual contributions.  What is your reaction to this process? How successful was this process in your view?
5.    What specific suggestions would you make  in regard to:
(1) Course Content    (2) Course Structure         (3) Course Delivery
6.    What other reflections would you like to share?

What is always heartening to learn is how much the students say they value the practical skills they hone in interviewing (elite and informal; structured and semi-structured), conducting a focus group discussion, managing a research project – drafting and piloting research instruments, determining sample designs, administering questionnaires, coding and entering data, and analyzing data and advancing recommendations.  What some complain about is the number of activities or volume of work. 

In one graduate level course on Social Policy and Administration that is not research based, one of the expected learning outcomes is students’ demonstrated ability to frame/ask probing questions about issues which impact on social policy.  I usually look out for this in the class discussions as the course progresses and it is usually an indication of how much a student is engaging with the readings and discourses in the area.

Overall, I enjoy teaching.  It is one means to providing an informed understanding of some of the challenges the Caribbean faces, and a way of helping students think about possible solutions to these.   It can be a transformational process because it evokes self-reflection and passion using the methods of exploration, discussion and analysis.  I expect students to leave my course with a satisfaction that the course material was relevant and effective, there was ample time for class discussions, the assignments were related to the course objectives, the course structure was logical, the method of delivery was effective, and the assessments were transparent and fair.  Perhaps most importantly, I expect students to leave my course with a sound, working knowledge of the content and an even greater passion for their discipline and the advancement of the Caribbean region.