Zdrojowy 1

Stewart Zdrojowy
Personal Teaching Philosophy
The role of a teacher is a precarious position of authority. Therefore, to avoid problematic classroom outcomes,
these following goals are of primary concern for me as lead facilitator of the classroom. While still recognizing
my role as a figure of authority, an effort must be made to create a classroom that is universally equal in the
valuing of individual ideas, thoughts, and perspectives. Content is one way to promote equality. Specifically,
focusing on fan-studies and popular culture as a way of connecting to students. Such practices will provide
opportunities for a plethora of learning outcomes and essential skill development to take place within a variety
of courses. The objectives, methods, and evaluative systems proposed are all put forward to build a classroom
where equality of thought, promotion of skill based learning, and greater understanding of literature as a
representation of the human experience can flourish and engage a new generation of active social participants.

My objectives for the classroom stem from my hope to guide cohesive group learning and personal growth in
the students while still developing and appreciating diverging opinions and perspectives. Expressivism and
critical pedagogy will prove to be of paramount importance. Expressivism provides opportunities for
literature to be explored and utilized individually by the students. Such opportunities offer an array of
content, whether popular, classical, or theoretical for the class to digest. These opportunities also give
incentive for the development of voice within the classroom. In contrast, critical pedagogy creates a setting
where skill-based instruction is also valued and performed, providing balance for the content utilization
within the classroom. Thus, students will learn content through expressivist values, and skill through critical
pedagogy. Together, these pedagogical theories will illustrate literature as both, a glimpse into the soul of
humanity, as well as a vehicle for theoretical and ideological exploration.

I believe in using literature as both a method for the contextual application of theoretical and rhetorical
content, as well as a method for finding and placing value on the human experience in its multitude of
endless representations and complexities. To these ends I propose using literature that is fantastic in nature.
Fantasy in its various forms provide a unique glimpse into what it is exactly that represents and illustrates
human nature and it’s various experiences.These types of texts provide opportunity for creative critical
engagement. Such opportunities can be realized in the forms of analytical argumentative essays, writing
portfolios, reader responses, and seminar research papers, as well as fertile content for rich classroom
discussions. Classroom discussions will then be critical for students either behind on readings, or harbor
unstable understandings of the texts. Even more, taking advantage of individual moments of creative
classroom opportunities/activities which coincide with the texts examined, class and group activities will
give students the ability to appreciate literature as more than just learning opportunities, but also educational
experiences.

Fostering a class that focuses on skill and content development through experience-based knowledge over
traditional trial and error style learning will be facilitated by the use of a contract-based grading system and
obvious effort from the students towards skill/writing improvement, rather than the utilization of a single
standard grading system which prioritizes grammatical perfection over creative critical engagement and
insightful rhetoric. While still important, grammatical and syntactical perfection should not be the only basis
by which student work is valued. Effort and engagement in classroom discussions as well as weekly reading
responses are also valuable tools to facilitate content engagement. These will consist primarily in a pass/fail
grading criterion. While not completely opposed to lectures if necessary, I feel that discussions should be the
primary classroom interactions because of their emphasis on group engagement with the texts. The
appreciation of literature extends beyond the bounds of the canon due to student interest and research. As
student engagement and interest grows, opportunities arise for those willing teach fiction and to ensure that
students learn in meaningful and applicable ways.