Philosophy

While I desire for my students to achieve high marks in the courses that I teach, I focus more on preparing them for career success. This long-term perspective influences my teaching philosophy, which is founded on:

• Fostering an environment that is focused on exhibiting proactive, professional accountability
• Developing critical thinking skills through use of intense, practical application projects

Preparing Students for a Sport Professional Environment
To promote an environment of professional accountability, I emphasize the importance of establishing clear expectations and I encourage a mindset of collaborative partnership throughout my courses. These themes are constantly reinforced, both verbally and non-verbally. Borrowing a practice from my consulting days, I provide students with “next steps” upon each class’ conclusion. These “next steps” are provided as notifications (i.e. emails) and announcements posted on online course homepages.

Being thorough and specific in student communications accomplishes two primary ends. First, it demonstrates to students that I am invested in their successes. I do not want any assignments to “fall through the cracks.” It is important to me that they are provided clear assignment guidelines. Second, by communicating on multiple platforms—sharing information that is consistent with the syllabus—reinforces to students that they need to be accountable for meeting course expectations. My intentions behind these communication practices are to eliminate—or at minimum, reduce—opportunities for students to provide “reasonable,” reactionary excuses. Again, the objective is to encourage the adoption of proactive, professional behaviors.

For this approach to be effective and not suppressive, I make every effort to be available to students who proactively reach out to me. If setting high standards for my students, then I believe that I have a responsibility to help them achieve those standards; particularly, when they are putting forth effort. Therefore, I make it a priority to respond to emails promptly (within 24 hours—usually, within a few hours), and allow for flexibility when scheduling appointments with students (when warranted).

Furthermore, to help my students remain invested in their courses, I believe that my commitment towards their learning must serve as an example. While I do not believe in the student as consumer model—how can students know what they need as preparation for a career without yet having experience in the career that they are pursuing? —I continually:

• Seek personal feedback from students through Mid-Semester Formative Evaluations, and
• Monitor—through milestone assignments—whether my expectations are congruent with those of my students

I believe that most educators strive to teach students to the best of their abilities, but without regular feedback from those being taught (i.e. students), how is it possible to gain awareness of one’s personal “blind spots?” While it is important and necessary to maintain appropriate boundaries when in an authority position; possessing humility is a prerequisite for my own learning. By encouraging and establishing two-way feedback with my students, I believe that opportunities for my own personal development are created; allowing me to more capably serve as an educator.

When students see themselves as partners in their learning, I believe that two benefits emerge. First, students are empowered to take a more significant level of ownership in their learning. With such ownership often comes a willingness to collaborate with others, and proactively communicate any concerns or obstacles that they consider learning deterrents. In circumstances where students fail to embrace the responsibility that accompanies their empowerment, this too serves as a learning opportunity. For success rarely comes without first experiencing some level of failure. And I believe that few, if any, circumstances develop student confidence more than overcoming past failures to achieve future successes.

Content Delivery: Scaffolding, from Theory into Practice
A believer in the scaffolding teaching method—the construction of skill-development through increasingly difficult, yet related, activities—I focus on presenting material in ways that help students understand its possible applications within their desired careers. New material is first taught conceptually, then practical applications are introduced as students become more cogent in the relevant theories. Whenever possible, core content is last addressed in the course through practitioner-based simulations/assignments. When applicable (and possible), a successful professional from a field that depends on such material will serve as a guest lecturer, and supplement the material that I have already taught my students; sharing their industry experiences.

Ultimately, concepts and related material are taught to increase student knowledge, with application serving to develop an understanding of how that knowledge can best be applied in a sport industry setting.