Personal Teaching Philosophy

A principle I strive for in teaching is balanced caring. Though this concept has been described by Slote (2000) in terms of ethics and Krakauer (2001) in terms of counseling, I'm interested in how it can be applied to teaching. Let me briefly highlight how I implement this in class.

As Aristotle notes in his Nicomachean Ethics, moderation is essentially an matter of balance. Though caring is an element of good teaching, moderation is needed. Overcaring can undermine the value of student responsibility - a value which should be nurtured in higher education. Conversely, teachers who don't care enough about their students may not be able to respond flexibly to their needs. Goldberg (2001) underscores how a degree of toughness is needed to teach effectively. I would emphasize this needs to be balanced with compassion and caring. In essence, balanced caring is akin to tough love: it means enabling students to take responsibility for their actions, while providing clear guidance about alternative choices that are available.

One way I implement balanced caring is by giving students a fair range of options regarding how to meet course objectives. Specifically, I go through a process of syllabus negotiation and provide them with several different coursework options. Another way is to balance classroom activities, varying the pace and type of activities. Recognizing that different learners benefit from varied approaches, I use a range of activities involving different learning modes. A third aspect of balanced caring concerns discipline. I believe it is important to communicate fairly clearly what classroom behaviors are acceptable - and which aren't. I maintain a balance point between extreme strictness on one hand and a lack of discipline on the other, believing that learning is optimized when there is a balance between toughness and caring.

Let me now mention how this principle is carried out in some specific classes.

1. Oral Communication - Maintaining a balanced a focus on communicative principles, grammar, vocabulary, and discourse strategies, I have taught oral communication to EFL students at many levels. My online lessons at www.tnewfields.info/mcu/ might give you a clue of how I teach.
   
   
2. Writing - Integrating ideas from Elbow (1973), Zamel (1982) and Casanave (1998,) I have helped EFL writers on their first steps towards writing fluency. An outline of one of my writing courses is available at www.tnewfields.info/write/ and my basic approach to writing is online at www.tnewfields.info/Articles/ bridge.
   
   
3. Research Methods - For three years I've taught students how to design, implement, and interpret research papers. I have helped Japanese EFL students become more familiar with principles of academic writing and statistics. A sample class portfolio is online at www.tnewfields.info/research/ and my ideas about teaching research skills can be read at www.tnewfields.info/Articles/research.htm.
   
   
4. Debate Skills - I've taught debate skills for several semesters. One of the goals has been to help participants clarify what they care about, recognize the pros and cons of their positions, and understand which rhetoric devices can help them skillfully express their opinions.
   
   
5. Cross-Cultural Training - At Shizuoka Prefectural University I taught a course on international business communication, emphasizing how business strategies vary between cultures. In Taiwan, I used simulations such as Bafa Bafa, Barnga and Ecotonos to help others become more cross-culturally aware. At Nanzan Jr. College I also developed a cross-cultural simulation described at www.tnewfields.info/Articles/naza.htm.
   

References

Casanave, C. (1998). Procedural and conceptual parallels between student and teacher product-driven writing projects. JALT Journal, 20. (2) 90 - 103.

Elbow, P. (1973). Writing without teachers. New York & London: Oxford University Press.

Goldberg, A. (May-June 2001). The Mental Toughness Newsletter, 3 (5).

Krakauer, S. (2001). Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: The Power of the Collective Heart. London: Brunner/Mazel.

Nipporica Associates & Hofner, D. (1989). Ecotonos. Leawood, KS, USA: Nipporica Associates.

Raimes, A. (1983). Techniques in Teaching Writing. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Shirts, Robert. G. (1977). Bafa Bafa - A cross culture simulation. Del Mar, CA, USA: Simulation Training Systems.

Slote, M. (2000). Morals from Motives. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.

Thiagarajan, S. & Steinwachs, B. (1990). Barnga: A Simulation Game on Cultural Clashes. Yarmouth, ME, USA: Intercultural Press.

Thomson, J.A. K. (trans.) (1955). Ethics of Aristotle: The Nicomchean Ethics. New York: Penguin Books.

(revised 8 Sep. 2002 - Ver. 3.1 - )