My Teaching Philosophy

Multiculturalism has made it necessary to know and understand the cultural sensibilities and background of my students for effective teaching and learning at the tertiary level.

One of my main objectives as a teacher is to develop students to their full potential by using appropriate teaching and learning tools. I am aware that students have different learning styles and it is my role as a teacher to reach students via their respective learning styles and to effect such change in behavior as will see them utilising their critical learning and problem solving skills.  I am charged with the responsibility of honing these skills in my students to enable them to function effectively in this informational and globalized world.

Another of my responsibilities as a teacher is to create the hunger for knowledge in my students that will motivate then to become lifelong learners.
In teaching and learning I also pay attention to the hidden curriculum which caters to the development of the ‘whole person’. Increasingly, as a facilitator in the teaching and learning process, part of my objective is to improve the emotional intelligence of my students so that they can better handle the affective issues emanating from their life cycle development and the world of work.

Fulfilling all the above objectives and responsibilities requires my dedication and self-motivation. To become an effective student-centred teacher, I must at all phases of my teaching career, seek to:

• Continually improve my knowledge of relevant subject areas
• Continually improve the pedagogic process to adjust to emerging trends in teaching and learning, as well as the changing cultural and behavioural habits and background of my students.
• Enrich the learning and teaching process by the introduction of new teaching technologies.
• Prepare students for effective contribution to the development of themselves, country and region.

 My effectiveness as a teacher will be measured by the quality of my graduates and their evaluation of my teaching and learning processes. The success of my institution in preparing emotionally adjusted, qualified and effective men and women for the world of work will be intimately wound up with my own success as a teacher.
In a real sense, the teaching and learning process has its own intrinsic and altruistic rewards. These include confidence in the knowledge that I have contributed to the development of groups of future transformational leaders while helping to maintain an intellectual centre of excellence at the UWI.