1. I should remind my students that the primary goal of attending classes is to learn the course and not merely to pass it. In my two years of experience as a university instructor, I found that too many a student’s goal focuses on their grades, which are but quantitative measures of learning. Students should know that grades are just numbers which are fallible in their assessment and what is important is what they try to evaluate – the degree of learning itself.
2. Nevertheless, the grades I give should be reflective of one’s
learning. I should impose, in my evaluation metrics, positive
struggle such that even the brightest of the students would be challenged;
nevertheless, I should refrain from giving students low grades if they do not
deserve it.
3. I should convince my students that learning is a challenge;
nevertheless, it is worth it. Education is something that is
toiled with persistence and hard work, but it will be rewarding – maybe not
immediately nor in the near future but someday.
4. Having understood that students learn in different ways, I
should be diverse in my pedagogical methods. From Bloom’s
Taxonomy, I should aim to have students not only remember and understand
concepts, but also be able to apply, analyze, evaluate, and demonstrate key
principles.
5. I should make my students adapt the absolute coordinates, not
the relative coordinates. In other words, I believe that every
student should strive for the perfect score and not for top one, for one who
reaches the top will not have a desire to improve but one who works hard for
the sake of excellence will continue to do well.
6. I should encourage each of my students to do his or her best
inside and outside the classroom. While students should strive to
reach the absolute, what matters to me most is their effort. I believe that the
student who did his or her best and yet failed a test is more commendable than
the student who got a perfect score but exerted little effort. The hardworking
graduate, regardless of class rank, is more accomplished than the lazy
valedictorian.
7. I should be aware of the limitations of my students. I should understand them and find ways to cater to their needs.
I should be cognizant of the nuances of every batch of students and do my best
to tailor my discussions in a way that they will understand best. Furthermore,
I should hold consultation hours within the week and be responsive to students’
questions via email.
8. I should stress to my student the importance of ethics. I should let the students know that a good name is
better than a good grade and that it is better to fail a course with dignity
than to pass it with shame. Therefore, although I thankfully hadn’t had a
chance to do so in my classes, students caught in cheating will be punished
according to rules on academic misconduct.
9. I should treat every student equitably and respect students
of all races, religions, gender, creed, veteran status, disability status,
political affiliation, and national origin. I should welcome
every student in my office while maintaining a friendly but professional tone. Not all
students catch up to the lessons at the same pace, and that being available to
every student is an important step towards equitable learning. I should always call students by their first names.
10. I should abide by the rules and regulations of the
institution in which I am under. I should respect the authorities of
the institution and faithfully fulfill my obligations not only as an educator,
but also as an employee.
11. I should respect my colleagues for we share the same mission to raise students which will
become worthy members of the society.
12. Finally, I should be my number one student so that I can be
an example to my students. I should be aware of my limitations
and act upon them so that I will continuously improve as an educator. I should
recognize my potential to learn from my colleagues and students, and seek
opportunities for improving my pedagogy. Hence, the guidelines herewith are but
a work-in-progress that may be improved as I get more experience and become a
better educator.
These are my guideposts in teaching, and I can say that I have succeeded as an educator if my students of today become morally
upright and competent engineers of tomorrow.
