Teaching Philosophy

Education must be a partnership between the students and the professor and both must assume responsibility for learning. I inform students of this belief when I teach them for the first time and of what I believe my responsibilities to be in this partnership. First, it is my responsibility to structure the learning environment so that students are engaged and their thinking is challenged. I do so by using interactive teaching methods, initially problem based learning, adapted for a larger group and currently the Divergent Case Method which is described subsequently. In the classroom, I guide their discussion and feel most successful if the students have spoken more than I have and have engaged in a discussion that is not directed primarily to me. Further, I probe to help them discover their clinical reasoning and to expand their ideas. The quick and easy answer will usually get a response to move deeper with their thinking. As the students all have a previous degree, some work experience and, as they move through the program, clinical experience, I emphasize that their experience and knowledge are as important as mine in understanding the issue at hand.

In case development, I have tried to develop cases that can be used at a variety of levels, from initially discovering the construct of occupation and early decision making and finally to that required of each entry level clinician. This diversity is achieved through varying the complexity of the information presented in the case and directing the students' attention through case specific questions. Finally, when providing written feedback on assignments, I discuss what I see as their reasoning as well as how they can develop it.

I must be thoroughly familiar with current research as well as be engaged in research relevant to my teaching as part of my responsibility. The program requires students to be evidenced-based so that by maintaining the research perspective in various ways, I model this behaviour for the students. Further, since the professional produces clinicians, I must be aware of current clinical practice. I have maintained some clinical involvement in order to meet this latter responsibility.

The professional curriculum must prepare competent clinicians who will provide quality service to their clients. My teaching philosophy supports this requirement through guiding the students to become independent, evidence-based practitioners and by using my skills to help them identify and develop their clinical reasoning and to become confident in the clinical decisions they make.