I got connected to teaching since when I was very young. My mother who is now retired, used to be a Persian literature teacher back in Iran. I think this was a very invaluable experience for me to see how teaching happens from behind the scenes. I could see the passion and efforts my mother put in her teaching and this caused me to always have a deep respect and appreciation for my teachers. I remember this mindset about teaching helped me be patient and observant of the different teaching methods I was exposed to.
I always chose to study hard and this made it very easy for me to make the most out of effective teaching styles. On the other hand, I tried to have a mental archive of teaching practices that were less effective, unfair, or sometimes inaccurate. I realized the latter usually when I had passed the class. I continued following teaching profiles more closely when I started my undergraduate studies in pure Chemistry. While finishing my degree I started preparing for the master's degree entrance exam in Iran, which is comprehensive and includes English, physical, analytical, organic, and inorganic Chemistry questions. At this point, I had some teaching assistance experience and I could tell what teaching styles have been effective for me in my Chemistry studies.
As an undergraduate who was about to start his master's degree, I could summarize my thinking about effective teaching styles for myself. I became more interested in the course, worked harder, did better in exams when the instructor ⟣ had a professional and caring attitude ⟣ was organized and well-prepared, ⟣ designed assessments that were in line with what was taught in the class, ⟣ used different methods of presentation, ⟣ provided real-world examples about the discussions, and ⟣ invested enough time on problem-solving skills.
In my own teaching philosophy, I have tried to stay loyal to what I believe are effective teaching practices. I believe a good Chemistry instructor should be familiar with learning theories and fundamental findings in Chemical Education Research that make teaching Chemistry more effective. One of the most famous theories of learning is Constructivism and states that students integrate new knowledge into the pre-existing conceptions they have.1 Knowing this has helped me not to have the preconceived notion that students are "blank slates" that can receive all the knowledge I want them to learn and I have to take into account the vital role of their background knowledge and pre-conceptions.
I have tried to incorporate other useful findings of Chemical Education Research into my teaching. Learning in students becomes more efficient when information is delivered to them in chunks. \cite{Johnstone2006} I always try to break down main topics into easier to understand sub-topics. Students need to be reminded about the scale that the Chemistry is happening because there are differences in how students perceive the molecular level and how I see it. \cite{Johnstone1991} While explaining concepts, I try to remind students about the different scales that the Chemistry is happening. For example, in lectures, if I am talking about melting of a crystalline solid while we discuss the \textit{macro}Chemistry physical change, I will also draw a crystal lattice and explain that melting happens when the kinetic energy of molecules outweighs their \textit{inter}molecular attraction forces, at the \textit{micro}-level. In a laboratory setting, I will do the switch of the levels. For example, in recrystallization experiments, I will emphasize that the dissolution of a compound in a hot solvent at \textit{macro}-level, is the dissociation of its lattice at the \textit{micro}-level.
My passion for teaching Chemistry comes from my fascination in learning it and sharing it with others. I believe Chemistry is not a set of exceptions that have to be memorized, it is rather a tree of knowledge that its fruits of understanding take a long time to grow. I believe that through an effective teaching method, students from different backgrounds can learn and enjoy it.
As an instructor, I want to create an environment where ALL students, questions and comments are welcome. Furthermore, I can help my students become self-regulated learners through the use of multiple modes of presentation of purposefully-selected course materials. I believe as a Chemistry instructor I should be able to excite students about and guide them to construct and learn new concepts and give them the opportunity to hone their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In the classroom, I strive to provide an inclusive and interactive environment based on the findings in Chemistry Education Research and Global Design.
This is one of the most important theories in education which states that meaningful learning happens when students choose to construct new ideas on their pre-existing conceptions, and learning is not just simply the transfer of knowledge from the instructor. In order to help ALL my students from different backgrounds, I will provide the class with suggested reading or viewing material prior to the class. To engage them I will highlight the relevance of the topic in their majors (e.g. nutritional sciences) by using examples. In presenting the material, I will break down each main topic into easy to understand sub-topics.
In order to adapt to different learning styles of students from all backgrounds, I want to adopt a flexible teaching profile. Prior to lectures, suggested reading or viewing material will be posted to activate or supply background knowledge. In lectures, while discussing the current topic in-depth, I will make sure to state the level that the Chemistry is happening (micro- or macro-scale) and I will use multiple modes of presentation such as molecular models or video demonstrations. In order to help students relate to the subject, real-world examples that are close to the majors of students will be used (e.g. Lactic acid fermentation for Redox Chemistry for exercise, nutritional or animal sciences). After the lectures, all course materials will be posted online to give constant accessibility to all students, even those without accommodation requests. To reinforce the understanding of students and help with their problems, I will encourage my students to talk with me during my office hours and I will also have an online presence to help students who may be hesitant to ask questions in a traditional setting. If students find a particular topic difficult, I will also develop close-captioned video tutorials. In order to assess students’ progress, students will be given individual homework assignments, group projects and exams. Homework assignments will give students the opportunity to review and apply the learning objectives. Prior to exams, students will be provided with a practice exam and after they have worked on it, they will be provided with the answers to check their work. One session prior to each exam will be dedicated to a discussion session that will be posted to the online discussion platform of the class. Exams will be the primary assessment tool and will contain conceptual questions to assess the core understanding of the subjects. To help students become self-regulated learners by monitoring their progress, students will be provided with their grades, answers and feedbacks promptly.
I believe technology has shown to be an invaluable asset in teaching, especially these days. As an instructor my goal is to provide a professional and helpful online presence for my students. I will set up an online appointment system for students to book from flexible office hours, in which the contents can be saved and later shared with the student. Video recordings will be recorded in high quality and closed-captioning will be added to all videos including synchronous presented sessions. Using digital note taking tools (e.g. Intuos, iPad Pro) the lectures will be screen recorded while explaining the subject with high-quality and accurate digital content. For creating a more authentic visual presentation while teaching online, free and accessible resources like PhET Interactive Simulations will be used. To help prepare and assess students, short quizzes will be posted online that contain multiple-choice or short answer questions. If necessary, homework assignments can also be turned in online as scanned documents or through other online solutions (e.g. Sapling).
My teaching philosophy is based on three foundations: (1) creating an inclusive and engaging environment based on Chemical Education Research findings, (2) utilizing various methods of presentation in teaching and assessing students, and (3) guiding students to be interested and self-regulated learners.
I perceive teaching as a dynamic process, but simply, I have found that students respond well when they see my enthusiasm and genuine care about their learning. They tend to appreciate and be motivated to learn when they see that their instructor puts in energy, time and passion in preparation for teaching them. I have learned this from my students because “the true teacher is the learner.”