Teaching and Learning Physics

During Spring 2022, I took Dr. Noah Finkelstein's Teaching and Learning Physics course. Through this course, I completed 2-3 hours of fieldwork each week to develop a final report. I chose to explore hands-on and project-based learning in undergraduate coursework and how to use the ethos of engineering courses to improve the undergraduate physics lab sequence at CU Boulder. I felt passionate about this project and gained valuable experience in the world of Physics Education Research, which is why I feel it to be pertinent to include in this portfolio. I was also tasked with developing a philosophy of teaching, which I have included below as well.

Philosophy of Teaching

The role of educators should be to guide their students on a journey of learning and provide them with the tools and support they need to do so. In the modern world, there are so many sources on the internet that make information widely available to students, so the role of the educator is no longer to be a provider or access point of knowledge. Rather, educators are meant to be on the same team as the student, giving them opportunities to develop conceptual understanding and challenge their knowledge. I have had the best experiences in classes where I have felt my instructors wanting me to succeed and approaching teaching not through lectures, but rather through opportunities for me to discover the material myself.

I think there’s also a significant part of education that has to do with learning about the self and seeking personal growth. Especially in K12 education, teachers have an incredibly high impact on the development of their students as people, and classrooms have the potential to be spaces for students to interact with their peers and develop a joy of learning, which I believe is essential to a rich, fulfilling life. There is a great power to education, and educators can empower their students (especially those in underrepresented communities) to feel confident in their knowledge and know that they have the opportunity to be successful in their careers. As an educator, whether in a formal capacity or not, I strive to empower those around me with knowledge and confidence by giving them the tools needed to be inquisitive, creative, kind members of society.