Shawn T. Thelen

Teaching Philosophy

In order for students to develop intellectually, they need to feel secure and comfortable in the classroom. This feeling of security and comfort allows students to enthusiastically open themselves to new ideas, think in new directions, and approach educators with thought provoking questions. Any pedagogical philosophy must revolve around students and the conviction that the purpose of the classroom is to provide a setting for productive exchange between professors and students.

When students feel comfortable, they are more apt to absorb academic subject matter and participate in class discussion; however, discussion alone is not enough to cultivate student learning. The statement "If you hear something you will forget it, if you see something you will remember it, if you experience something you will understand it" best describes my pedagogical approach. In accordance with this philosophy, I minimize rote learning and strive to develop experiential techniques that enhance the educational process promoting awareness, appreciation, and comprehension of the subject matter.

The educational process must extend beyond fundamental attainment of knowledge and include character development. It is the responsibility of educators, through teaching and their own personal behavior, to promote positive character development in their students. The classroom is a place for professors to instill the professionalism students need to enter the work environment and meet the challenges presented by fast-paced careers.

It is also the responsibility of educators and my personal goal to increase students' desire for lifelong learning. In order to promote an affirmative perception of the educational process, educators themselves must exhibit a positive and open attitude towards keeping abreast of new theories, ideas, technologies, and instructional techniques. This will initiate a positive attitude among students not only for the subject matter but also towards learning in general. Education does not begin when a student enters the doors of a classroom nor does it end when they leave that day - it is a continuous process and it is my responsibility as an educator to promote, enhance,  and develop students' learning skills to assure that the desire for education within every student never ceases.