Page 2 - Erica Spielman, Professional Portfolio

Personal Philosophy on Teaching

As an educator, I believe a personal philosophy should be flexible with the ability to
change as we grow and learn as educators. My personal teaching style correlates closely to the
postmodernism philosophy. I hold a strong focus on knowledge, implications of practice as well
as innovation and evolution of practice.

I encourage diversity and transformation of practice through innovation. I believe a nurse
educator should harness creativity, diversity and innovative teaching strategies to allow students
an opportunity to review challenging concepts differently. I feel instructors should design the
classroom to provide an optimal learning experience that incorporates emotional, behavioral, and
cognitive engagement. This includes academic participation through discussion and group work,
simulation, as well as positive and challenging interactions with students in a nonjudgmental
environment.

It is important to recognize each student has an individual preference of receiving
information and meeting goals. I have a preference to learning with a hands-on approach and
feel, a deep understanding of the information and how it is applied to practice, is a crucial step in
the learning process. Learning can easily be self-directed through experiences with tasks and
problems that are relatable to real life situations.
I believe all students learn differently, a variety learning styles should be incorporated to
create a complete learning experience. Students are responsible to come prepared for class and
respectfully voice concerns and question theory to gain a deep understanding of how the
information relates to practice. As the instructor, I am responsible for treating students with
respect, answer questions and concerns fully, making sure students understand difficult concepts,
while keeping students engaged. I think instructors should transform lectures and delivery of
information to meet student needs. Additionally, I feel teachers need to be innovative in their
presentation to accommodate and engage all students. As an instructor, a large amount of
complex information is communicated in a short amount of time. To meet the needs of all
students, teaching should be creative with the ability to evolve.