I subscribe to several ideologies regarding students and materials presented in class. First, all students can learn. There is a capacity there. Although it might not be at the rate the course is structured to move, students do learn. Also, the instructor is a motivating force within the class. The tone that is set on the first day and the way the instructor responds to the students creates an atmosphere that will continue throughout the course.

There are also some students who are not ready to learn for some reason or another. Just because a person is not ready to learn the materials, they should not be made to feel like a failure. As an instructor, I have a responsibility to put the class at the top of my priority list. I make sure that students receive a quick turn-around on assignments, usually that day or the next day. I believe that if students have immediate feedback, they are more willing to approach the instructor and discuss problems with the assignments.

I love to teach and I really do spend quite a bit of time analyzing the interactions that occur within the classroom. It is vital for me to provide a safe environment for the students to learn. Everyone should be allowed to speak his or her opinion as long as it does not come in the form of a personal attack. I believe that when I teach I am very student-centered. I also believe that it is important to get to know the students in the class. If I can understand their educational, regional, and cultural backgrounds, then I can more easily connect course materials to their lives.

I could go on and on about how I think a classroom should be run. There are several things that are vital to instruction; understanding, motivation, safety, and creating a learning environment where the student is valued. Incorporating these ideas into the classroom has made students feel valued.

Majoring in instructional technology, I have learned how important visual literacy is for students. Instructional technology in the classroom gives students much more visual literacy as well as practical learning than the traditional face-to-face class. From my experience of teaching I have known that students like using instructional technology in their classroom. This method of teaching provides more student-centered instruction rather than teacher-directed instruction. My teaching method is to give students as much student-centered and collaborative learning as possible so they can create their own ideas and share those ideas with other students.