Teaching Philosophy

I have the pleasure and honor of teaching in a very unique educational setting. I am a
clinical professor in a dental school. In order to understand my fluid teaching philosophy it
becomes necessary to first understand the environment in which I interact with students. I
teach third and fourth year dental students during the clinical patient based portion of their
education. The clinic is divided into suites that run much like a private practice. Each suite has
22 students that are partnered together, one third year and one fourth year. They have spent
the first two years in dental school preparing didactically as well as pre-clinically in a simulation
clinic. Once they arrive in the clinic and begin working on patients I have the same group of 22
students 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 2 years. Every suite has three faculty members
devoted to instructing the students so the ratio remains very low. Due to this tremendous
amount of contact my teaching philosophy is one that continues to evolve as the student
progresses on their educational path. My philosophy is based on past and current experiences
as a student witnessing what works and what doesnt as well as the personal style I have
developed while teaching currently. Since I am in such a unique teaching environment, I am
able to tailor my teaching methods to each individual student.

The students time in clinic is very experiential in nature, based on that I have to be very
aware of the individual students learning style as well as areas that need reinforcement within
their knowledge base (Chism, 1998). There are some that believe that the purpose of an
educator is to cause the student to learn (Reinsmith, 1994). I believe quite differently, I believe
that teaching is not causing the student to learn, but instead providing the experiences
necessary for the student to gain their own knowledge (Reinsmith, 1994).

I believe that long after the student has forgotten the details they have learned from
their teacher, they will remember the impression the teacher had on them (Eble, 1983). This
ability to be close enough with my students to act as a role model for them, not just telling
them what I need them to learn but showing by demonstrating those traits our profession holds
most dear is central to my teaching philosophy. There are several archetypal forms of teaching,
because of the length of time that I get to spend with my students, I fall into most of the forms.
When new students first join my suite I take on a more presentational mode where I am a
teacher as disseminator or transmitter (Reinsmith, 1994). This is the stage where the ground
rules are laid out for the students, the expectations, procedures and protocols. This is typically
the stage where there is very little back and forth communication with the students, this time
period is for the students to listen in order for everyones ensured safety. This is my least
favorite time period, it is necessary but I do not enjoy the regurgitation model that it becomes.
Following this phase I am able to transition to an inquirer or catalyst (Reinsmith, 1994). This is
where I get to push them outside of their comfort zone. They are used to dealing with perfect

situations in the simulation clinic. When working on live patients, nothing is ideal. This is the
portion of their education where they are able to apply all of the didactic learning they have
been through to real life situations. This causes them to push their comprehension and begin
thinking critically in order to problem solve. Time goes by very quickly in the clinic and before
we know it the new third year students are transitioning into veteran fourth year students. This
is where I get to interacts as a dialogist (Reinsmith, 1994). This is the midpoint of my time with
the students, where I can begin trusting their instincts and we have a firmly established rapport
creating an intimate learning environment where they can grow in a very supportive and
positive environment. This closeness leads into the teacher as witness or abiding presence
where my role in their education is greatly diminished. I am there to support their needs as
they arise but the drive is now coming from the student, no longer teacher lead. This is where
they really learn what they love, and many use this time to decide if they will specialize. The
final phase is where I end my journey with my fourth year students. As they approach
graduation and are ready to go out into practice or perhaps residency programs I begin the
apophatic mode (Reinsmith, 1994). This is really a non-teaching mode, this is where the
students become responsible for their own learning. Committing themselves to be a lifelong
learner, realizing that our profession is ever changing and we are never going to near the end of
needing to learn more.

As a professor, as much as I enjoy engaging with my students in a fun, relaxed manner, I

also recognize that I am also charged with molding them into future professionals. My students
leave my suite and go into the world as dentists. I have a responsibility to demonstrate the
human side of dentistry to them as much as the technical aspect. I have to always be aware of
any circumstance that I have to intervene to ensure they are maximizing their learning potential
as well as deal with any misconduct that may arise (Caughlin, 2014). I have to stay abreast of
the newest technology and materials to ensure that my students are as prepared as possible. I
believe no medical or dental student should be taught something because that has always been
the way. I believe in evidence based learning for myself and my students, and I try very hard to
convey that concept to them. I agree with the concept of disenthralling or removing your
beliefs from things that were relevant last century (Robinson, 2010). If my students learn
nothing more from me than the passion to continue learning, I have succeeded.

References:

Caughlin, D. E. (2014). Enhancing Your Teaching Experience: Developing Your Teaching

Philosophy, Course Syllabus, and Teaching Portfolio. TIP: The Industrial-Organizational
Psychologist, 52(2), 94-99.

Chism, N. V. N. (1998). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement. Essays on Teaching

Excellence, 9(3), 1-2.
Reinsmith, W. A. (1994). Archetypal forms in teaching. College Teaching, 42(4), 131.

Eble, K. E. (1983). The Aims of College Teaching. Jossey-Bass Inc., 433 California St., Suite 1000,
San Francisco, CA 94104.
Robinson, K. (2010). Bring on the learning revolution!. Ted.com. Retrieved 11 May 2015, from
http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.