1. In a world saturated with institutions offering educational degrees to students at a time
when the economy is changing the very nature of higher education, facilitators are often faced
with questions in the classroom such as- Why should I study this material? How and why is this
course important to me? How will this course help me find and keep a job of my choice? What is
the relevance of what we study in class to my current and/or future job? It is my personal and
professional goal to facilitate the connection between theory and life through my teaching, help
students realize their potential, and form their own educational philosophies to begin a lifelong
love of learning. My educational philosophy has been highly influenced by the work of Roger
Schank and this writing addresses my educational philosophy, teaching practices, and ideas.
Origins of my educational philosophy
As a student in secondary school in South Asia, I was herded in to a class of students
with “lower potential”. This inclusion in to the category of lower potential students, for me, came
because I failed to see the relevance of what I was studying to my life. This experience left me
with a lifelong desire to explain material in a way (not just to students) in a way which was
relevant, easy to understand yet challenging and thought provoking, and fun.
Teaching practices
When I began my life as a teacher at Louisiana State University, I already knew that
large, lecture heavy classes would only drive students away. It was at this time that I made a
conscious decision to implement my own ideas about teaching-
- making subject matter relevant and introduce fun in to the equation during early
morning lectures by using video clips from movies such as Crash and My Big Fat
Greek Wedding to talk about diversity and the communication issues which can arise
as a result of that diversity.
- I openly share my own stories of being classified as a student with lower potential
and a “stupid” student to help some of my own students who might be struggling with
the same issues of being categorized.
- I throw candy (with very bad aim, I might add) for correct answers in the classroom
and even for attempting to answer questions. Errors are treated opportunities for
learning and growing as an individual.
- Encouraging discussion and talking as a means of learning. I believe in the power of
discussions which expose students to different points of view while also allowing
students to make a connection between in-class learning and their own lives.
- Struggling students are offered additional coaching over the phone, online, or through
face to face hour long interactions.
- I am easily accessible and maintain a highly visible presence in my online
classrooms, and a warm, friendly, and approachable presence in my traditional
classrooms.

2. Roger Schank’s influence on educational philosophy and teaching practices
I came across Roger Schank’s work when researching information for a workshop open
only to select faculty members at the University of Phoenix. Roger Schank's (2010) "learning by
doing" methodology particularly appealed to me because I realized that I already plan my in-
class assessments and activities with relevance uppermost in my mind. When I am able to
establish a solid connection between the class materials and students' personal and professional
lives, the quality of the assignments and in-class activities goes up substantially. Students are
also able to experience a stronger connection between their coursework and their present jobs
and lives when the learning by doing philosophy is consciously used. For e.g., when teaching
courses on diversity issues in communication, students are required to work on teams comprising
diverse individuals and to come up with training modules on diversity using their own
experiences with diversity.
Conclusion
My past experiences, on the job learning, and readings have all worked together in the
formation of my educational philosophy. I have achieved and learned a lot in my role as a
facilitator and still have a lot of learning left to do, because after all, learning is a lifelong
process. I take the initiative to educate myself about current educational practices, pass on my
love of learning to students, and always keep my own experiences in mind when working with
students.
References
Schank, R.C. (2010, June). The pragmatics of learning by doing. Pragmatics & Society, 1(1),
157-172. doi:10.1075/ps.1.1.10sch