My Teaching Philosophy

Knowledge is Power! I heard this message on Schoolhouse Rock! every Saturday morning growing up. I can’t look at this graphic without hearing the music for “I’m Just a Bill” and “Conjunction Junction”. They convinced me that knowledge is power. My Grandmother believed the same and pointed out that knowledge is one thing no one can take away from you. This is at the heart of my beliefs.

                I work primarily with older adult volunteers in a program called Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI). The sessions are discussion-based workshops on various aspects of Rotary International and how to make the programs work for you and your club. I have been with RLI for about 15 years, starting as a facilitator in Georgia. Today, I am responsible for RLI curriculum internationally serving over 150 countries. Everyone who works with the program is a volunteer. In other words, we are true believers. Discussion-based learning is the heart of this program. While there is a curriculum and learning goal, the material comprises questions. The participants drive the discussion with the facilitator providing support and/or information only as needed. We are fond of saying, “The answer is in the room”. I have seen this proven again and again. When adults share their knowledge and connect their experiences and ideas, new solutions are created, and processes become more robust.

                As a facilitator, I see myself as a referee or coach, and as a participant. I believe I learn as much as the participants. I often leave the classroom with new ideas that I can apply to my Rotary experience. And the evaluations from the students show they are having the same experience as I am. One result I am most proud of in the online version of our program is that four Global Grants have come out of our online sessions. Briefly, a Global Grant is a joint project funded by The Rotary Foundation involving at least two Rotary clubs, each in separate countries. The starting amount for a grant is $30,000. Because we have attendees from several countries in our online sessions, they create connections and find ways to work together. Encouraging them to create grants with fellow students is not in the curriculum. The grants occurred as natural extensions of their discussions. Because of these grants, 2000 people have clean drinking water, and over 100 children have after-school enrichment and learning materials. And these are just the ones I know about. I believe that there have been and will be other grants as well.

                Knowledge is power. My participants are voluntary and pay to attend. I can only assume they also believe in this power. Allowing adults to interact and share is one of the most effective ways to learn. And teach. My goal as a teacher is to ensure the participants get the knowledge they need to achieve their goals. I do this through facilitation, encouragement, and discussion. I believe in meeting the participants where they are. If they are very confident and comfortable speaking, I ensure they don’t dominate the room but give them every chance to share their stories. If they are shy, I provide support. Sometimes with a “speaking partner”, and other times by just standing with them so they aren’t “alone”, to ensure their input is heard and valued. If I have a participant who doesn’t share, that is my failure and a loss for the rest of the class. That one person could be holding the key that would make the rest of us more powerful.

                My Grandmother told me that every person is the smartest person in the world about something. And that it was my job to find out what that “something” was. This one piece of advice has allowed me to respect everyone and to invest the time to find out what their “smart thing” is. As a result, I have met and learned from a lot of folks whom I might not have otherwise talked to. This approach in the classroom enables a facilitator to look past personal feelings or biases and focus on the information.

                I leave you with this quote from Martin Uzochukwu Ugwu: “Knowledge is power. Sharing knowledge is the key to unlocking that power.”  

References

Rotary International  https://www.rotary.org/en

Rotary Leadership Institute International https://www.rotaryleadershipinstitute.org/

Schoolhouse Rock! (1976) I’m just a bill. Walt Disney Company 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgVKvqTItto  

Ugwu, Martin Uzochukwu. Unknown. Unable to find any reference to this person

         other than a wonderful collection of quotes including this one. Feel free to                 Google him. If you can find him, send me a link!