Rondayln Whitney's teaching philosophy has three pillars: using a constructivist approach to learning, co-creating the learning experience with students, and understanding that academia is an advanced practice setting in occupational therapy. She uses interactive scenarios and real-world problems to promote deeper understanding and connects new learning to past knowledge. Whitney sees her role as a leader who coordinates student learning and encourages them to work as a team. She wants students to pursue the right questions rather than answers and believes high expectations allow students to achieve their best. Whitney's pedagogy is grounded in the belief that health and learning are related, and learning is best when engaged in real-world contexts.

1. TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
RONDALYN WHITNEY
FavoriteQuote: “Man, through theuseofhishandsasthey areenergized by mind and will, can
influencethe stateof his own health.1
”
My teaching philosophy hasthree pillars: use a constructivistapproach, co-create the learning experience
with studentsandunderstandthatacademia is an advancedpractice settingwithin the OccupationalTherapy
profession
How one believes learning happensguideshow teaching happens. Constructivistapproaches focusthe
learner’s attentionon the deep structuresof problemsrather than surface level features and promotesreasoning
andproblem solvingskills thancan transfer to novel situationsthroughexperiential learning. I use interactive
scenarios as opportunitiestointegrate materials andmake meaningfulconnectionsto real world problemsin
order to promotedeeper understandingofthe role of occupationaltherapy as a solution. I try tounderstandthe
sociocultural backgroundofthe studentsaswell astheir occupationalinterests andstay mindful of the zone of
proximal developmentfor learning. I like to knowwhat my students value, their interests, what they like to do
with their leisure time, and continually encouragethem to connectnew learning to pastknowledge andremodel
new internal workingmodelsof themselvesas health professionals.
I see my role of instructoras a leader whocoordinatesthe actions of the learners in the course. The
instructor:studentrelationshipisthatof a helmsman:oarsmenwiththe students(oarsmen)needing to work
together with one anotherin a coordinatedteam effort to supportandassurethe learning process. Studentsare
encouragedto reflect onthe passive/active learning model throughoutthecourse. I want tosee studentsstop
lookingfor ‘the right answer’ and, instead, insatiably pursuethe right questions. Studentsbecomewhoyoutell
them they are – havinghigh expectations for them, holdingthem accountableand believing in them allows them
to stepforward andbecome champions.
Academia is a practice area within the occupationaltherapy profession. OTs believe people mustdo real
thingsin real places and in real life. I believe teaching is the most important service I can provideto my
profession. My own teaching pedagogy is grounded in the belief that health and learning are intimately
related and learning generalizes best when the learner is engaged in enriched, educational activities in real-
world contexts. I give serious thoughttohow I can makelearning fun, messy andprovocative. Inmy classes, we
roll upour sleeves andget engaged, experiment, fail, learn andlaugh at ourown bumblingabout along the blind
exploration thatends in insight. We experience the state of being unable, of learning tobe enabled, learn to
honorresilience and persistence aboveperfection and grow into being helmsmenof occupation.
I hopestudentswill say I helped them foster critical thinkingskills, challenged them to grow and be their
best selves while being fair and kind. I hopemy teaching encouraged their curiosity aboutthe evidence behind
what they do andwhat others attemptto doin the nameof healing; I hope they aspire to servantleadership and
feel learning is a meaningful andsatisfyingoccupation. In short, I hope they roll uptheir sleeves andenergetically
engage in their ownlives. I hope they say I left them with the mechanismwith which to influence the state not
only of their own health butthatof others. I hope they love their learner reconstruction.
1Reilly, M. (1962).Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Occupationaltherapy canbe one ofthe great ideas of20th century medicine. AmericanJournal
of OccupationalTherapy, 16(1),1-9.