My personal teaching philosophy is:
“To change the world through education, one student, one mind at a time…”
This philosophy began with the belief that through improving critical and refractive thinking, with logic and reasoning, each student can learn to discover their own personalized path, to search for their unique place and function within society. As I moved throughout my teaching career, I have added the component of leadership to this philosophy, where I believe in the power of one, and the ability of each person to change their corner of the world, changing the bigger world by default.
By using the Socratic method of constantly asking questions to challenge assumptions, bias, and perception as well as teaching by induction, the student learns to bend thought, to challenge themselves,as well as conventional wisdom, to learn about themselves through their pursuit of academic core principles and philosophies. It is here that students will transition and evolve from being co-dependent, to interdependent to becoming independent productive members of society. Students will learn that the search for truth begins internally with asking the right questions, which then leads to the most appropriate and effective answers.
Finally, I believe in the core principles and tenets of leadership, where in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
The world is in desperate need of leaders who are willing to take risks, to blaze new trails, to question boundaries to take our society into the future. Sometimes this leadership is with a grand gesture; sometimes leadership simply comes softly. We need innovators, critical and refractive thinkers, and leaders to be audacious and bold; to question what we are doing and why, often asking why not. We need those willing to search for answers to questions not yet even asked.
“When the student is ready, the teacher will come.”
(Anonymous, n.d.)
I am that teacher that mentors them along this path.
My very best for your continued success!
Sincerely,
Dr. Cheryl Lentz
The Academic Entrepreneur™
