Teaching Goals
“To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocation that is sacred; who believe that our work is not merely to share information but to share in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our students. To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin”
- bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress (p 13)
My idealized purpose as the teacher in a teacher-learner relationship is informed by the quintessential words (above) bell hooks. To pull this lofty ideal down to earth and into my classroom, I aim to develop my learners in the six "Cs".
Critical thinking as an essential element of scientific decision-making.
Contextualization of material within real human beings, real families and communities, and real systems fraught with inequity and bias.
Creativity in problem-solving, whether it be in reference to an individual patient or the field at large.
Curiosity as an essential way of being in our world and in our work.
Compassion for others and for themselves.
Critical interrogation of their beliefs (in the form of reflective and reflexive practice), our science, our practices, and the field at large.
These concepts are addressed via consistent engagement with the theory, frameworks, and science of the content area and the integration and application of said theory, frameworks, and science to real-world cases and situations.
How does this manifest itself in my teaching? Please see my Teaching Manifesto.