My philosophy for teaching stems from the same passion that lead me to a career in occupational therapy-my desire to help others in achieving their goals and reaching their full potential through the use of occupation. Occupational therapy highly values learning through doing and emphasizes the use of a client-centered approach in which understanding the client’s goals and intrinsic motivation is the key to success. Similarly, I believe that my teaching is most effective when I apply these same principles by utilizing a student-centered approach with a strong emphasis on experiential learning. Through use of such an approach, I can better understand the goals of the students and help them connect class content to the world around them. Ultimately, I am educating my future colleagues so if I feel confident that students have gained the knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to treat someone I care about, then I believe I've succeeded in my role as an educator.
One example of a student-centered approach that utilizes experiential learning is the pediatric community client assignment that I co-created with Dr. Heidi Woolley for the Division of Occupational and Recreational Therapies. In this assignment, students are expected to plan and implement interventions during weekly one-on-one treatment session with a pediatric client under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. This type of assignment allows students to apply knowledge from the classroom to real world situations and provides them with an opportunity to make autonomous decisions based on clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice. It is very rewarding to me as an educator when I observe a student applying their knowledge in a way that brings about observable, measurable change in a pediatric client. Even if the student has no desire or intent to pursue a career in pediatric practice, this type of experience helps students to receive beneficial feedback and ultimately build their confidence in their skills, which moves them one step closer to becoming an entry-level practitioner. Just as it is my desire for my clients to become as independent and self-sufficient as possible, so it is with my students.
I also see strong parallels between my role as an occupational therapist in relationship to my clients and my role as an instructor in relationship to my students. In both situations, I do not view myself as an expert whose only goal is to impart wisdom and knowledge onto students as if they are empty vessels waiting to be filled. Instead, I view myself as a facilitator, a coach, and a co-creator of meaning. I want to be supportive and approachable for my students both inside and outside of the classroom environment. I do not want students to view me as the gatekeeper or as the person who determines if they pass or fail, with significant emphasis on grades alone. My goal is not to weed out struggling students but rather to help shape them into excellent occupational therapists capable of solving problems and working collaboratively with others to determine the best solutions, as these are key aspects of clinical practice. I want to facilitate the development of entry-level skills by presenting content through a variety of methodologies, just as I utilize multiple modalities and interventions within my occupational therapy practice. These methodologies may include PowerPoint, lecture, video, guest speakers, discussion, and labs. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I spend my days using play and fun as a medium for learning in my young clients, and it’s my aim to implement a similar philosophy in the classroom with my students; therefore, I like to incorporate role-play and use of therapeutic toys and equipment from our pediatric therapy clinic. In order to help the content become more personally relevant, I believe that the fact that I currently still have a full-time clinical practice supports my role as an effective instructor as I am able to readily weave in real-life examples that help students connect dots in their learning experience.
While I must keep in mind the ACOTE standards that drive our curriculum and acknowledge that one of my key roles is to ensure that students have the ability to pass their certification exam, I choose to go about that in a way that taps into the intrinsic motivation of students so that they take initiative in their own learning and are excited about the content. I also believe in taking the time to provide students with specific feedback that helps them to be fully aware of their strengths and areas for improvement. For example, on the integrative case study assignment for my Pediatric Skills (OC TH 6140) course, I spend ample time reading every paper and providing individualized comments to each student. Students have expressed to me several times how much they appreciate the time and thought I put into their feedback. Again, the important role of feedback is widely valued in clinical practice as well and is known to help the client make adjustments that will target skill development. Just as occupational therapy is a process where change builds over time, so is the learning process for students. And yet, I recognize that feedback is a two-way street. I will not pretend to be an expert instructor and welcome feedback from students on how to improve their learning experience.
Additionally, I have developed a practice in which I spend a few minutes after every class session reflecting on what went well and how I can make changes that will benefit the students in the future. I am also sure to include any ideas from students and will make note of active learning ideas that came to mind as I was interacting with students. I believe this self-reflective process helps me to grow in my role as an instructor. In addition, I am currently seeking my Higher Education Teaching Specialist certificate through the University of Utah’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. This process has provided several opportunities for me to be observed in the classroom and has lead me to take several courses on pedagogical approaches. This experience has been very beneficial in my goal of becoming the most effective instructor I can be. In addition, I appreciate the opportunities I have had as an adjunct instructor to work in collaboration with full- time faculty members on curriculum development and classroom design, as the division aims to meet ACOTE standards. It is my desire to continue to explore opportunities in teaching at the university level, as I am continually rewarded by the experience and see how it is helping me to grow professionally and personally.
One example of a student-centered approach that utilizes experiential learning is the pediatric community client assignment that I co-created with Dr. Heidi Woolley for the Division of Occupational and Recreational Therapies. In this assignment, students are expected to plan and implement interventions during weekly one-on-one treatment session with a pediatric client under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. This type of assignment allows students to apply knowledge from the classroom to real world situations and provides them with an opportunity to make autonomous decisions based on clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice. It is very rewarding to me as an educator when I observe a student applying their knowledge in a way that brings about observable, measurable change in a pediatric client. Even if the student has no desire or intent to pursue a career in pediatric practice, this type of experience helps students to receive beneficial feedback and ultimately build their confidence in their skills, which moves them one step closer to becoming an entry-level practitioner. Just as it is my desire for my clients to become as independent and self-sufficient as possible, so it is with my students.
I also see strong parallels between my role as an occupational therapist in relationship to my clients and my role as an instructor in relationship to my students. In both situations, I do not view myself as an expert whose only goal is to impart wisdom and knowledge onto students as if they are empty vessels waiting to be filled. Instead, I view myself as a facilitator, a coach, and a co-creator of meaning. I want to be supportive and approachable for my students both inside and outside of the classroom environment. I do not want students to view me as the gatekeeper or as the person who determines if they pass or fail, with significant emphasis on grades alone. My goal is not to weed out struggling students but rather to help shape them into excellent occupational therapists capable of solving problems and working collaboratively with others to determine the best solutions, as these are key aspects of clinical practice. I want to facilitate the development of entry-level skills by presenting content through a variety of methodologies, just as I utilize multiple modalities and interventions within my occupational therapy practice. These methodologies may include PowerPoint, lecture, video, guest speakers, discussion, and labs. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I spend my days using play and fun as a medium for learning in my young clients, and it’s my aim to implement a similar philosophy in the classroom with my students; therefore, I like to incorporate role-play and use of therapeutic toys and equipment from our pediatric therapy clinic. In order to help the content become more personally relevant, I believe that the fact that I currently still have a full-time clinical practice supports my role as an effective instructor as I am able to readily weave in real-life examples that help students connect dots in their learning experience.
While I must keep in mind the ACOTE standards that drive our curriculum and acknowledge that one of my key roles is to ensure that students have the ability to pass their certification exam, I choose to go about that in a way that taps into the intrinsic motivation of students so that they take initiative in their own learning and are excited about the content. I also believe in taking the time to provide students with specific feedback that helps them to be fully aware of their strengths and areas for improvement. For example, on the integrative case study assignment for my Pediatric Skills (OC TH 6140) course, I spend ample time reading every paper and providing individualized comments to each student. Students have expressed to me several times how much they appreciate the time and thought I put into their feedback. Again, the important role of feedback is widely valued in clinical practice as well and is known to help the client make adjustments that will target skill development. Just as occupational therapy is a process where change builds over time, so is the learning process for students. And yet, I recognize that feedback is a two-way street. I will not pretend to be an expert instructor and welcome feedback from students on how to improve their learning experience.
Additionally, I have developed a practice in which I spend a few minutes after every class session reflecting on what went well and how I can make changes that will benefit the students in the future. I am also sure to include any ideas from students and will make note of active learning ideas that came to mind as I was interacting with students. I believe this self-reflective process helps me to grow in my role as an instructor. In addition, I am currently seeking my Higher Education Teaching Specialist certificate through the University of Utah’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. This process has provided several opportunities for me to be observed in the classroom and has lead me to take several courses on pedagogical approaches. This experience has been very beneficial in my goal of becoming the most effective instructor I can be. In addition, I appreciate the opportunities I have had as an adjunct instructor to work in collaboration with full- time faculty members on curriculum development and classroom design, as the division aims to meet ACOTE standards. It is my desire to continue to explore opportunities in teaching at the university level, as I am continually rewarded by the experience and see how it is helping me to grow professionally and personally.