Teaching Philosophy

A statement about one's teaching philosophy could be defined in many ways for many people but I suspect it should include an expression of one's motivation and vision for teaching. I became a teacher because I love the subject of mathematics and I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for it with others. I want my students to see what I see in the subject! Indeed I consider myself a missionary for the field! To that end I do my best to present the subject by using the best teaching techniques I've learned over the years; by using the best examples found from countless hours studying various textbooks from other science courses like physics, chemistry, and biology; by communicating as clearly as possible; and by relating the importance of mathematics to students' lives with real world applications. In the end I hope to foster in my students some enthusiasm for math and enough of an interest in the subject so that perhaps they might pursue it in more depth in the future. Furthermore I hope to reveal to students the connections between mathematics and other disciplines and to help them find an appreciation for math and its place in our lives.

Teaching at the collegiate level is absolutely the best job one could ever have! A former professor of mine (Dr. Tom Garrison of Orange Coast College in California) explained it this way: Society tells us that we will have this job...for the rest of our lives if we like...but the price for it will be high. We will have to think hard about our profession virtually 24 hours a day! We must always reflect on the ways in which we might become better at our craft, about better ways to get in touch with students for without them we have no purpose, and about constantly being open to learning more in our particular fields. If we are not willing to do these things and more, then we should not be community college professors! This is more than a full-time job and those not willing to work hard at it always for the benefit of their students should do something else!