Teaching Philosophy
Teaching and interacting with students is the best part of being a professor. I learn as much as possible about my students and let them know that they are important. I also try to make classes more pragmatic and active so that I can maintain the students’ enthusiasm. When designing the curriculum for my courses I try to set clear objectives and identify the most important concepts. I have a background as an instructional designer so I also like to leverage technology to enhance my teaching. For example, I create and maintain a bank of exam questions on Blackboard so that I can give students frequent, low-penalty assessments to test their comprehension of the material.
Courses Taught and Evaluations
Fall 2021
EDU 375: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies- Sections 607 & 609
Spring 2022
EDU 375: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies-Sections 607 & 609
Fall 2022
EDU 375: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies-Sections 607 & 609
Spring 2023
EDU 375: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies-Sections 607 & 609-Syllabus (updated)
Fall 2023
EDU 375: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies-Sections 603/604/605-Syllabus
CTE’s
Spring 2023-EDU 375: 608/609* The in-line evaluations for the 608 section of this class are uncharacteristically negative and hostile. I feel that the evaluations are retaliatory and their claims are implausible, especially in light of the enthusiastically positive comments from the other section of the same class from the same semester.
Fall 2024-EDU 375: 603/604/605
Teaching Observation: Comments
Extracts:
“You have great rapport with your students.”
“Allowing students to attend virtually demonstrates flexibility students continue to appreciate, though many faculty comment on how challenging it is to do hybrid teaching, in person and with students online.”
CTE Extracts:
“Amazing professor. Wish I can have him again”
“I really enjoyed this class. I never liked social studies growing up but Dr. Jones recognized that social studies isn’t easily engaging and made it enjoyable. We had a variety of assignments not just tests which I liked. I liked doing the one pager and visiting the archives. Dr. Jones’ teaching style was refreshing and made social studies bearable. I think including the student presentations of the information was also strategic in breaking up the monotony of a class. Dr. Jones was respectful and relatable. He took an interest in us and our interests and took the time to get to know us. He also listened to us for any of our needs of concerns. I feel that I can go to Dr. Jones with any questions or needs whether that be on his assignments or other school related requirements and I am confident I will be supported by him. I really enjoyed this class and getting to know Dr. Jones and would recommend my peers take his courses as well as I would take another course with him if I had the opportunity to. ”
Teaching Accomplishments/Continuing Growth
Below are listed events and activities I attended that are related to the classes taught in the internship blocks of the CECE and IEC departments. These include orientation sessions offered on-campus to familiarize students with conduct and dispositions policies (Block II Spring Semester Orientation 1/27/23), and orientation meetings and observations at host schools where our internship students are placed:
Inclusive ED Block II Debrief Meeting 12/13/21–This meeting was virtual and occurred during my first semester at Cortland. The faculty working in our Block discussed challenges and successes from the semester.
Inclusive Ed Block II Meeting, 8/24/22–This meeting happened in the beginning of the Fall semester of 2022. The faculty of the block met to discuss the schedules and locations for student placements, curricular changes, and other issues for the upcoming semester.
Block II Spring 23 Meeting, 12/14/23 —
Inclusive Ed Childhood Program Block II Spring Semester Orientation (1/27/23) — This meeting was very important. A key topic of this meeting was dispositions and student behavior, in class and in field placements. The meeting was more like a workshop, and almost every faculty member teaching IEC students attended. Attached is a copy of presentation slides that were shown at the meeting.
Block 603 Check-in Meeting (9/1/23) — In Fall 2023, I began teaching students in the CECE department (my home department). This was my first CECE Block meeting. At the meeting, we discussed placements, the schedule for internship immersion experiences, and faculty sign-up for student observations. Students met with the administrator of their placement school.
Block 604 Check-in Meeting (8/23/23) — This was similar to the other Block meetings, but for a different cohort of students.
Block 605 Meeting (Fri 9/1/2023 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM) — This was similar to the other Block meetings, but for a different cohort of students.
EDU 481 603 Lesson Observation, Monday 11/6/23 — I observed and evaluated two students at Homer Intermediate School.
EDU 481 604 Lesson Observation, Thursday 11/9/23 (Groton Elementary) — I observed and evaluated two students at Groton Elementary. I was scheduled to observe a second group at this same school but could not attend due to scheduling conflicts.