Teaching Philosophy

Throughout my life, I have crossed paths with individuals who have possessed the extraordinary ability to (i) help advance my understanding of ‘at-the-time’ seemingly complex issues, (ii) light a fire within me to take learning beyond the classroom and, (iii) act as powerful motivating forces in my life. The individuals to whom I refer were the educators I interacted with at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. These individuals planted the seeds that shaped my conception of teaching and learning and it is an honour to be a part of their legacy.

I recognize that the students I teach are a precious resource and that as an educator I am providing a service. In the courses I teach, I therefore strive to create an atmosphere where there is empathy, psychological safety and inclusion. I believe that I play an important role as a guide to my students and strive to make learning an enjoyable process. Similar to a nature guide, I believe that I help my students navigate through terrain that is unfamiliar to them. Very often, I share photos, videos and personal anecdotes from scientific expeditions and research projects that I have been involved in when teaching about the coastal/marine environment. I believe that I play a role as a facilitator that supports students’ learning. Having recognized that students learn in different ways, I use different strategies to engage them. I also direct them to a suite of diverse resources (e.g., articles, books, videos, documentaries, infographics, etc). Adult learners already have lived experiences relating to the material that I teach. Therefore, I intentionally create opportunities whereby I provide students with a platform to acknowledge these experiences and build upon them. These might occur in class discussions or in small groups. As an educator, I believe that my students are capable of improving the quality of their work. Therefore, it is my responsibility to ensure that they are provided with timely, meaningful feedback.

My teaching is underpinned by two learning theories; Constructivism and Connectivism. As an educator, I believe that students learn and begin to engage in critical thinking when they have an opportunity to construct their knowledge. In Marine Ecology and Oceanography (a year 3 undergraduate course I teach), one of the topics that I cover is Biological Oceanography. In an intentionally designed series (lecture, field trip and lab session), students learn about plankton, conduct plankton sampling from fishing vessels and then analyse their samples in the laboratory. Through a process of active inquiry, students are able to construct their knowledge about plankton in coastal waters of Trinidad. As an educator, I also believe that learning is an active process. In Science Communication (a year 1 undergraduate course I teach), students learn and put into practice skills associated with using social media for science communication, writing blogs, writing newspaper articles, creating scientific posters and delivering scientific presentations. By engaging in both individual as well as group projects, there is room for creativity and opportunities to reflect on their experiences. The students’ role is that they must take learning beyond the confines of the classroom. I believe that learning is experiential and involves social interaction. In all of the courses I teach, students have the opportunity to engage in fieldwork, lab work and coursework assignments. By using these strategies, learners are therefore able to construct their knowledge (discover). I believe that learning takes place when there is dialogue. In several courses that I teach, this dialogue occurs through intentional activities e.g., interviewing stakeholders in the coastal environment. The students’ role is to be open to diverse perspectives. While learning can be both be surficial and deep, I encourage deep learning among my students. Students must therefore strive to have a growth mindset, i.e., a desire to learn and build new skills, to put in effort, be open to constructive feedback, etc.

As an educator that possesses a growth mindset, I always ask myself, ‘How can I do better?’ For this reason, continued professional development has been and will continue to be an important component of my teaching and research practice. In order to foster growth within my teaching practice, I have come to appreciate (especially within the past year) that my practice must be grounded in reflection via multiple lens (autobiographical, student, peer, theory and research). When I first started undergraduate teaching, reflection on my practice was primarily through the lens of the student. However, as of 2022, I have intentionally started using the lens of self (specifically via Rolfe’s Reflective Model) and that of my peers. In the 2023/2024 academic year, I also hope to utilize a fourth lens (theory and research) for reflection.

Thus far, January 2019 – April 2023, I have accumulated undergraduate teaching experience in three different settings (i) prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, (ii) during the pandemic (transition to emergency remote teaching) and, (iii) the deceleration phase of the pandemic, with a return to teaching on campus. Having experienced this flux in conditions and having almost completed the CUTL program, I know that I can pivot when needed and carry forward lessons learnt to build back better.

[Updated 24th April 2023]