Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: The Necessity of Belief

In conversation, when people learn I’m a physicist they often reply along the lines of, “Oh, I’m not smart enough to do that.” This reply reveals the common belief in the “fixed mindset”: that someone’s success and ability to learn is a product of their innate talents, and that these aptitudes cannot be changed¹. In contrast, I learned from my mother at a young age the simple phrase, “If you believe you can, or if you believe you can’t, you’re right”². In my learning practice, I’ve chosen to believe that I can learn anything I desire. I don’t see myself as having inherently superior cognitive abilities compared to anyone else; rather I see my success as a direct product of personal effort and a “growth mindset.” Because of the growth I have seen in myself, I am convinced that every student has the potential to learn any subject they desire and work at. This strong belief in students’ potential is foundational to my motivation and to my methods for teaching and learning.

Teaching on Benjamin D. Smith

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Introduction: The Necessity of Belief