As a first-generation college student coming from a small town where very few people had experience navigating higher education, I found it incredibly difficult to comprehend class requirements and the negative impacts of the education bias I faced. Although I do not have teaching experience, I have worked and volunteered in classrooms and libraries for years. I worked as a secretary in a K-12 public school district for three years. It was there that I experienced firsthand the difficulty that students face when contemplating their future and comprehending the curriculum. 

 

With a Master of Science in Information Studies from an American Library Association accredited program, I am qualified to work with students and community members to increase access to information and to improve literacy rates. Through the use of the Universal Design for Learning framework, I am able to help not only myself, but also students to comprehend the information being presented to them. By understanding why students are interested in a topic or by connecting it to a passion of theirs, I can increase engagement with the subject matter. Engagement is something that students have been struggling with in recent years, especially those faced with online instruction who find it difficult to interact in asynchronous discussions. By offering students the ability to submit work in multiple modalities, for instance, a written assignment or a video, can help increase their comfort in the classroom and foster an increased level of creativity and comprehension. Peer interactions through small group discussions and effective use of a flipped classroom model can help improve student engagement while building communication skills, comprehension of materials, and confidence. 

 

An effective teacher is articulate, compassionate, organized, and understanding. Through the use of co-written community agreements between myself and students, the goal of being an effective teacher can be achieved. By coming to an understanding of what we expect from one another, students are able to know what to expect of me as an instructor and are able to glean a clear understanding of what I am trying to express. Often, it is forgotten that not only am I teaching the students, but students are also teaching me. I also want students to understand that embracing a lull or moment of silence is okay. It allows them to consider their understanding of the content and fully comprehend material prior to discussion. I also believe it is important to recognize that I, like the students, will not always have the answer to a question and there is nothing to feel ashamed or be embarrassed about. 

 

I had never heard the term hidden curriculum until I participated in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Teaching Preparation Series at The University of Texas at Austin. I learned how important it is to acknowledge that not all students experience the same level of learning, and, as a result, a bias can be created, making it difficult, if not impossible, to catch up with their peers. I learned that I have first-hand experience with what it is like to be exposed to hidden curriculum. As a result, I believe that student work should be graded using contract grading. A method which looks at their work holistically rather than based upon their ability to spell and follow strict grammar guidelines, which can often be a barrier for students’ whose first language is not English. 

 

By utilizing a pedagogy that takes into account diversity, inclusion, equity, and access, it is possible for me to honor the different backgrounds my students come from. I also think it is important to take into consideration a trauma-informed approach by acknowledging and utilizing content and trigger warnings during discussions which may be potentially upsetting to students. By incorporating DEI, access, and warnings into my lessons, I am able to ensure that all students feel comfortable within their learning environment and to create a welcoming community they are able to thrive in without the fear of judgment based on identity factors. Providing students with resources to help them inside and outside the classroom can create a welcoming environment and allows students to know that I care about more than just their grade at the end of the course. 

 

Assessing students' progress is important, however this can be done through more than just traditional written exams. The use of projects, oral discussions, and the demonstration of skills taught in class can help build students’ confidence and bolster validation, while helping me pinpoint any gaps in my teaching, and their understanding. Conducting student assessments throughout the semester is beneficial for me to see student growth and understand if the learning goals are being met. 

 

Learning goals are an important part of instruction and go beyond just the development of skills or ticking off boxes in a required core class. By centering the learning goals of a course around the needs of students, I am able to be a more effective teacher who expands on often broadly written learning goals and explains how assessment will help students achieve these objectives. Through interactive activities, open class discussions, instructional activities, a flipped classroom model, and the effective use of Universal Design for Learning, students can meet these learning goals by helping them feel like they are part of a learning community. 

 

Everything that I have learned as a student and observed volunteering and working for a K-12 public school district has impacted my teaching identity. I have learned so much about how to implement small shifts in teaching philosophies, and view a teaching philosophy as an actionable approach to improve not only what students are learning from me, but also what I am learning from my students.