TeAching Philosophy Statement

I am passionate about preparing the next generation of empathic, multicultural, creative, and effective counselors. As a counselor educator, I believe that teaching is a gift to the instructor and student, and it should be based on the needs of the students. Students present unique challenges, both academic and personal, during his or her time in an academic setting. Therefore, my philosophy of teaching is aligned with the notion that students receive the highest benefits from learning when they feel connected, and education is presented in a way that meets their individual learning styles.

My lens 

I believe that my love for education and professional experiences are a guide for my work as a counselor educator. Having more than a decade of mental health experience working in diverse settings, such as crisis, addiction, schools, and other, has expanded my knowledge in the field of counseling. Therefore, I will create learning opportunities that will draw from my professional background, as I believe doing so will influence student understanding and application to learning. Meeting students where they are academically is essential. My goal is to help students understand his or her learning styles or preferences, encourage them to study and explore the coursework (with their learning styles in-mind), and I will incorporate diverse teaching modalities that will address a range of learning styles. 

My core beliefs 

As a counselor educator, mentor, consultant, professional counselor, and leader, I believe it is vital for me to seek opportunities to grow and develop my skills and overall competence. Actively seeking opportunities to learn and improve myself will encourage student development, accountability, and competence. My professional demonstration of self-reflection and seeking feedback from students and colleagues is a behavior I will model, as I believe doing so will also encourage students to practice the same professional behaviors. I believe students should be informed of areas of growth, then be provided with effective tools to improve, and most importantly have hands-on support, tailored to their needs, from the instructor.  

My classroom

I believe that counselor educators in training acquire appropriate counseling behaviors via their interactions with the instructor and colleagues, which also encourages student accountability and overall well-being (Chalk, n.d). Counselor educators are responsible for modeling effective counseling for every student through applicable examples or scenarios of counseling work, video demonstrations, as well as classroom demonstrations (Chalk,n.d ). I believe the classroom environment should be warming, welcoming, and open for student dialogue and interaction. Facilitating group discussion is a pastime that is dear to me, and it offers students several benefits, like experience with leadership and developing a voice. Classroom discussions will play a major role in encouraging students to critical thinking, knowledge, and competence. Lastly, I believe the on-going student encouragement and the use of positive language will aid in growing students’ success.

In summation, my teaching philosophy reflects my passion for education and helping students thrive inside of the classroom and counseling setting. Counselor educators and counselors in training both serve an essential role in our society. It is truly my pleasure to educate, mentor, and consult with the next generation of mental health professionals. 

References

Chalk, Stephanie (n.d). Online portfolio. https://www.stephaniechalk.com/