As I introspect upon my academic career, it is evident that there is always a giver and a receiver of knowledge and skills. It is impossible that we learned things by ourselves out of our mother’s womb. And through the giver we develop and harness our thoughts, development and actions for the betterment on anything in the future.
As a student, I have received university instructions that fosters critical and analytical thinking, an education that doesn’t delve only in to rote memorization but understanding the derivation of things studied, and share or teach it. I was encouraged to learn not only by chalk talk but through initiative, inquiry, and discovery, and with the direction and facilitation of my mentors, and these had sunk in to my consciousness. As it has been the thought that when the time comes that I am on my own, and I have no one to depend on but only upon the ability, knowledge, and skills engrained and harnessed by my mentors, I must thrive.
The pedagogy of different learning styles has sprouted through centuries, and the abilities and disabilities of the receiver – the students, must be addressed with the aim of making them productive, useful and contributor citizens of the society. Hence, as a teacher now myself, it is my teaching philosophy that I must suit my teaching methods and techniques according to the present learning needs of the students without losing focus on maintaining classroom order and the thought of encouraging the students to have the initiative in inquiring and discovering facts and figures, including new techniques and abilities, sharing and teaching the lessons learned to fellow classmates and others, added with my correction and supervision. And I believe that in this way, the highest apex of learning can be achieved.
Moreover, as my specialization is in Computer Engineering, and Computer Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as part and parcel of it, I make it an important part of my teaching philosophy also that I must be flexible and adaptive to the ever evolving computer trends and technology - and using it to the advantage of the students, to the current school situation, and also on whatever technical challenges that is ahead of me. It is necessary for me to be adept in learning new things, enrich my profession, and that I become resourceful in delivering the expected school-wide learning results of the school in my classes through set standards and goals on my lectures, guided hands – on and/or project - based activities.
In my classes, attendance is important because in one way or another, I believe that a student will learn something even just a minute amount of knowledge or skill from my teachings while the other students are learning with flying colors. It gives me an opportunity to admonish, understand, interact, communicate, and become a mentor, a guidance counselor, a father, and a friend to my students. Skin color and origin doesn’t deviate or influence my aim of providing equal opportunity to education and of myself being fair to everyone, I emphasize on the set school and classroom standards while balancing justice and mercy. I derive my strength and satisfaction when a student is able to replicate the knowledge and skills learned and/or design projects through their own imagination, creativity, and analytical thinking skills. From typing a simple letter using a computer and a printer, to digital designing, website designing, assembling and programming robots, software and game programming, and to project – based technology engineering and design.
Teaching tertiary to primary level students on a daily basis or on a once - a - week period classes for many years has been a personal feat for me, I have never imagined before that I will passionately enjoy that smile and excitement on a student’s face of being proud of his or her own project creations. Yes, there is no such thing as monopoly of knowledge and skills, teachers fade away but the transfer of knowledge and skills for the development of society remains.