Statement of Teaching Philosophy Matthew J. Willis Teaching has ...

Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Matthew J. Willis
Teaching has been a passion of mine since the first time I gave a guest lecture in an
undergraduate course. I believe it is that passion that enables me to bring a strong enthusiasm
to the classroom and helps to create an environment in which students are excited to
learn. A lot has changed since that first lecture, and I have learned a lot from my peers and
advisors. I do my best to combine my own ideas with the advice of others to create the ideal
classroom experience. As a student there were two particular faculty members who made a
major impact on my academic and professional life. Thanks to them, I constantly strive to
establish similar relationships with my students.
I feel that one of the most important aspects of teaching is invoking active participation
among the students. In my experience, Ive found that it is much easier to learn from a
professor who involves the students in the discussion and truly cares whether or not they
are following the material. I try to convey these fundamentals into my own lectures in a few
ways.
First, I feel that it is important to allow ample time for student contributions during
examples. I find that this helps me get a sense of the level of comprehension among students,
and perhaps more importantly, allows them to develop a sense of confidence in the material.
Also, I think the students enjoy the brief breaks in my lecture and it helps them remain
attentive throughout the period. Second, I like to occasionally provide a few minutes for the
students to work out examples on their own or in small groups. I believe that this enables
the individual to instantly determine which parts of the lecture they understand, as well as
which parts they still need to practice. It also provides an opportunity to discuss the material
with their peers and to strengthen each others understanding. In general, I try to create an
interactive classroom atmosphere to enhance the learning experience for all students.
1

It is also imperative to me that students feel comfortable in my classroom at all times.
While Ive learned that its not always possible to be each students best friend, it is important
to establish a certain level of trust with each individual. This is why I attempt to create a
business casual type of atmosphere while teaching. I want each student to know and respect
the fact that we are there to learn, while at the same time feel that they are very much a
part of the lecture and can participate at any time. I try to convey this attitude in several
ways: conversing with the students before class begins, inserting an occasional math joke
into the lecture, and being sure to answer every question with the same level of respect.
On this topic, one particular student comes to mind, who I will call Todd.
I taught
Todd in consecutive semesters and perhaps will never forget him. He would always sit up
front, constantly taking notes and hanging on my every word. When he asked a question,
however, Todd usually gave the impression that he was not grasping the material very well.
Fortunately, this never stopped him from asking questions during my lectures. The reason I
remember Todd so vividly is that when the exams came around, it was clear he had always
carefully listened to my responses and used them to enhance his understanding. As a result,
his grades were much stronger than his questions.
I felt proud to know that Todd was
comfortable both in my classroom and with me as an instructor. I believe that this style of
teaching helped him reach his full potential in my courses.
I have been teaching for five years now, but I find it important to remember that you
never stop learning. I am constantly looking for new ways to present material or explain
certain examples in order to keep things fresh. To this end, I like to stay up to date with the
technological advances being made in mathematics education. Ive been using WebAssign for
my Calculus courses for several years now, and have begun using StatsPortal for my Statistics
course this semester. These programs provide several enhancements to my lectures through
interactive examples, explanations, and more.
I believe that todays student appreciates
technology in the classroom and is well prepared to learn this way.
I also feel that the
variation within my lectures provided by such programs helps to keep students attention
2

and participation at a high level.
To conclude, teaching is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I aim to establish a
learning environment in which students are excited to learn, and eager to participate. I feel
that this style provides an experience that is both enjoyable as the teacher and effective for
the students.
3