Development of Teaching Philosophy

To some extent, I have been able to develop my own teaching skills based on my experiences as a student. I remember the instructors I liked as an undergrad, and the things about the classes they taught which made them positive learning experiences. I learned the importance of diversity in presentation, and the importance of being empathetic to the needs of the class as a whole. From the instructors I disliked as an undergrad, I have learned that monotony, dictatorship, and Abeing right all the time,@ are undesirable traits.

 

I am also mindful, however, that not all students learn the same way I do. Furthermore, not all students come to college with the same amount of preparation and level of skill. The face of the student body is continually changing, and I must adapt my teaching style, such that I evolve in a manner which accommodates the ways in which my students learn.

 

I have also been able to develop my teaching skills through lessons learned as a professional. As a past Cruise Director, I have learned the importance of being able to entertain, while giving information. Through experiences on stage, and in front of a camera, I have discovered the importance of drawing connections between the information given, and how it can actually be utilized. The key to humor is to create a scenario in which listeners have experienced (or can understand) and to give that known experience a twist. Thus, in presenting the material for any given day, I believe it is important to first show my students how they will actually use the lessons for the day (how it is applicable), and then present it in a manner which is fresh and stimulating.

 

I have also been fortunate enough to take Fran McGuire=s (Master Teacher) course in Teaching Development at Clemson University. His two credit Teaching Seminar was taught only to Ph.D. students in the fields of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and had a sole purpose of developing better educators. During the course of the class (I took it twice), my teaching abilities were increased with the use of: student panels, teaching workshops, observing other teachers, being observed teaching by my peers, having my lectures videotaped, and being introduced to the teaching styles and philosophies of a multitude of Professors. I am certain that I am a much better teacher today, because of the lessons learned in his class.

 

Two books have also been very influential in the development of my teaching philosophy. These books are AThe Passionate Teacher,@ by Robert Fried, and AThe Courage to Teach,@ by Parker J. Palmer. From Fried (1996) I have learned how to become a Apassionate teacher.@ Key lessons that his book have taught me include: how to create an atmosphere of mutual respect, how to engage young minds, why we should expect excellence from all, and to refuse to become apathetic or cynical.

 

While many of my actions are dictated by lessons learned from Palmer (1998), his six paradoxical teaching tensions are prevalent in my daily teaching philosophy. Within each paradox he helps to explain and guide the complexities of the classroom (the space).

 

These paradoxes are:

1) The space should be bounded and open

2) The space should be hospitable and Acharged.@

3) The space should invite the voice of the individual and the voice of the group.

4) The space should honor the Alittle@ stories of the students, and the Abig@ stories of disciplines and tradition.

5) The space should support solitude and surround it with the resources of the community.

6) The space should welcome both silence and speech.

Agriculture Program Conference/New Horizons (Teaching development seminars), College Station, Texas, 2000

 

Society of Park and Recreation Educators National Conference, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 1999 Developing Students= Oral 

 

Communication in the Classroom, Communication Through the Curriculum, Clemson, South Carolina, 1998

Some of the general principles that I have found useful in facilitating and nurturing these principles are fairness, flexibility and humor. I believe that fairness is an environment in which ALL of my students desire to learn the material, and that the work which they produce is judged without any bias. I have found that flexibility requires me to listen to my students while interpreting their environment and other external cues. Once I have done this, feedback given to me by my students can be interpreted effectively. As Yogi Berra has stated, AYou can observe a lot just by looking around.@ I feel this process is vital for me to be able to evolve my teaching, grading, etc. for the good of my students. The use of humor has allowed me to increase my students awareness of the material. Much of my humor is self-degrading which brings a human-ness to my lectures. This process has been found to reduce the barriers to two-way communication between myself, and my students.

My genuine fondness for not only the material, but also my students well-being further guides my teaching. It is my desire to maintain a well-managed, but relaxed environment in which students feel comfortable enough to let their guards down and learn. In doing so, I expect my students to develop their own opinions, rather than expecting me to give them Athe right answer.@ It is therefore my goal that through the course of lecture and discussion, students should develop their critical thinking skills and examine their own personal values B not mine. I facilitate this goal with the use of fairness, flexibility and humor.

Statement of Teaching Responsibilities

 

Formal Courses

Classes that I have taught at Texas A&M include: RPTS 202 - Foundations of Tourism (Fall, 200) and RPTS 606 - Overview of Tourism (Spring, 2000). Course Titles, numbers and enrollments for all classes taught to date are listed in Appendix A.

 

Student Mentoring and Advising

While I am not officially appointed as an advisor to any undergraduate students, I believe it is a very important part of being an effective teacher. I stress to all my students that my office door is always open, and if they feel it is necessary, that by all means they should feel free to contact me at home (all students are given my home number). I firmly believe that the more avenues for communication that students have available, the greater chance they have of being able to interpret the information provided, and the better chance that they will feel comfortable approaching me with questions. Without open communication between my students, it would be more difficult for me to understand what methods I can utilize to most effectively teach them the material.

 

I also require all of my undergraduate students, regardless of class size, to schedule a meeting with me during the semester. The purpose of this fifteen minute Aperformance evaluation@ is to break down potential barriers of discussion caused by being in a room with numerous peers. My goal during this meeting is to : a) get the opportunity to meet my students out of the classroom, b) have them give me input on my performance, c) give them input on their performance, d) answer any questions that they may have about the class, and e) help direct them on issues not related to class. From my experiences, I have found that these fifteen minutes are not only important to my students, but also give me great insight into where I am succeeding and failing in the classroom.

 

I also feel that a very important part of my teaching responsibilities is the mentoring of graduate students. In only my first year at Texas A&M I already serve as a committee member for 3 Masters students and 1 Ph.D. student. I am also serving as a GCR on two committees. My commitment to graduate studies is also shown by participating as a member of our department=s Graduate Affairs Committee.

 

Course Descriptions and Philosophy of the Instructional Methods Used in Each Course

 

RPTS 202 B Foundations of Tourism

This 3 credit course is an introduction to travel and tourism for undergraduate students. It is presented from local to international levels, including an overview of the scale, scope and organization of the industry. Also included in the course is an understanding of the natural, cultural and heritage resources in tourism, and the identification of issues related to the economic, technological and political aspects of tourism.

When teaching RPTS 202, my primary goal is to have students grasp the basic concepts and ideas related to the subject area. Since I assume that most undergraduate students do not have prior knowledge in the subject area, students= ability to effectively synthesize and critically examine the course material is secondary to establishing a solid knowledge base of the tourism industry that can be applied.

In order to reach this goal, I utilized course readings, case studies, current events, applied assignments, and participatory lectures. To help ensure that students are keeping up with the readings, the students are aware that six pop quizzes will be given to them during the course of the semester. Every lecture is guided by an overriding question with three follow-up questions. I ask the students to raise these questions if the class ever gets off course (and trust me, they do a great job of getting my back on track). The following is how Athe question@ is stated in their syllabus:

THE QUESTION: What do I need to know about the topic at hand, in order to better understand the Tourism Industry?

As the Instructor of this class, I will make every effort to use this question in guiding each day=s class experiences. If you do not feel that we are making connections from class experiences to Areal world@ applications and needs, please refer the instructor back to THE QUESTION.

The major scheme of the class is as follows:

1. What is the point? This is the simplest of the three questions. What is the point of the material? What is the reading, lecture, assignment all about? You will be asked to provide this information every class period.

2. What is the significance? You, and I, will be held accountable for determining the point of the materials we are learning. I want you to be able to tell me why we are bothering to study what we are!

3. What do I do with this? This gets us to the heart of the material. It lets us explore how to apply the material and use it in our services. If we can=t answer this question, we are in trouble.

In order to further assist students in applying the lessons learned, a series of three case studies, reflective of the lessons learned in class, are given. Each of the case studies builds on the previous one. Students are required to present their findings for each case study as a report to their manager (me), with each of the cases involving a fictional resort which they have created (they must declare what amenities are offered, where it is located, etc.). The students find the case studies to be extremely challenging, as they involve Athinking outside of the box.@

Another benefit of the case studies, I believe, is that they enhance my students= writing skills. I truly believe that the ability to write is a necessary skill that all students must acquire. Beyond content, their case studies are graded on their abilities to research the subject, and clearly convey their findings. I encourage students to submit drafts of their papers to me prior to their due date. This allows me a one on one opportunity to assist them with their writing skills. For many students, this process has shown to be quite useful. As a whole, the case studies are progressively written much more effectively from their first attempt at the first case study, to the final case study. Each of the case studies are presented in Appendix B.

 

To further show the applicability of the lessons learned, students are required to find an article in a current newspaper which is related to lessons learned in class, write a summary of the article, and synthesize the meaning of the article into lessons learned in class. Students discuss their articles in small groups (this is done once a week), and the article from each group that is deemed to be the most applicable to that week=s lessons, is presented and discussed. This process has shown to be an effective tool for assisting students in digesting what they have learned, in a manner that will be useful to them in Athe real world.@

 

On non Acurrent events days,@ the class is guided by lecture with the use of overheads. In order to free students from having to take notes while I am lecturing, and to promote active discussion (versus passive writing) I post all my lecture notes on the web, prior to each class. I believe it is essential that the students find out what belongs between the main points, instead of having to listen to me lecture for the entire class period. This technique has certainly resulted in a more active discussion of the topics, in a quest to determine what belongs between the bullet points. See Appendix C for a sample lecture outline.

 

My experiences as a Cruise Director, and recreation attendant are often drawn upon to assist in my lectures. Having traveled to over 75 countries has proven to be a wonderful base for teaching tourism in the classroom. If the lecture dictates, I utilize the many travel and work experiences that I have had in the past. This process allows me to show the students Areal world@ situations, in which the lessons can (and have) been utilzed.

 

I also try to find ways to utilize the students= travels and experiences in the lectures. During the first day of class I have the students fill out a brief questionnaire in search of some of their experiences. I also probe my students in regard to their travels during the fifteen minute Aperformance evaluation.@ I have found that the utilization of their personal experiences give the students a sense of ownership in the class, and greatly increases their desire to learn.

 

I also utilize this questionnaire to allow the students to get a better chance to know a little bit about me. The final question on the questionnaire is Awhat question would you most like to ask me?@ After I have completed the discussion of the syllabus, I sit down and answer, out loud, questions that they have asked (within reason). I have found that this rather simple exercise gives my students a better understanding of who I am, and further opens the door for future communication. See Appendix D for a copy of the questionnaire.

 

In order to further arouse my students= interest in the lecture material, numerous props are utilized. The props as a whole are artifacts that I have obtained through my travels. The props include dolls, hats, paintings, medallions, and various Anick-knacks.@ The students first assignment is to bring in a Anick-knack@ that they have picked up in their travels, and to be prepared to discuss it in class. During this day, called Atouristy-day@ I dress as a tourist (sunglasses, Hawaiian shirt, sandles, camera, etc.) and introduce them to a box of my Anick-knacks.@ I have found that the students find this day to be very entertaining, and, being the first lecture day, opens up the flood gates for discussion on subsequent days. I feel this is a vital part of the future energy in the classroom, as Fried (1996) states Astudents in motion tend to stay in motion.@ This period is also a fore-shadowing of props which will become commonplace in future lectures.

 

Another way in which I promote discussion in class is by bringing in small pieces of candy to class. Inevitably, at some point, I will raise a question which students do not respond to. When this happens, I promise the person with the most fitting response to the question, a piece of candy. While sometimes this process generates almost too much discussion, I have found it to be an excellent tool for promoting discussion of difficult topics.

The fore-mentioned techniques are not exhaustive of those I utilize, but have become my Abread and butter.@ As each class is different, the methods that I utilize to promote learning will continue to be an evolving process. To quote Kierkegard:

ATo be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner. I am not a teacher, only a fellow student.@

When teaching RPTS 606, my primary goal is to introduce my students to the most important research and writings on the subject of tourism. It is also hoped that the students will be able to apply the principles learned to Areal world@ situations. Since I assume that graduate students have a fairly complex understanding of rudimentary principles of tourism, these lessons are quickly reviewed at the beginning of the semester. Thus, further readings can be assimilated and critically examined in a thorough nature.

In order to achieve this goal I use an extensive reading packet, applied assignments, group discussions and require each student to do a series of presentations on the material. Since the current state of tourism studies has evolved from the principles of numerous disciplines, the readings are broken into ten sections, reflective of the contributions given by ten different disciplines (those disciplines cited in Annals of Tourism, as being the key contributors to the field of tourism). The sections include writings from Anthropology, Ecology, Economics, Geography, History, Recreation, Marketing, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology, as they apply to tourism studies. For each section, students are exposed to the guiding principles and complexity of the subject, as explained through numerous theories and concepts. Throughout the semester, it is anticipated that the students will be able to synthesize the lessons learned from all of the disciplines and formulate their own vision of what Atourism studies@ entails. While challenging, this process has shown to create heated discussion, and passion towards what is, and what isn=t Atourism studies.@

My goal for each of the four assignments in the class, is for the students to be able to take the abstract principles learned, and show how they can be used concretely. The first assignment is a VALS (a psychographic profile) exercise in which students are required to find out what their VALS type is, and write a paper on how this information can be used in the Areal world.@ The second assignment is a book report. In writing the book report, students are encouraged to read a non-technical (hopefully fiction) book and find a way to show how the principles learned in class can be applied to the story read.

The third assignment is a Amajor paper.@ The major paper consists of writing a literature review of one area of tourist behavior research. It is expected that the review will be extensive and include key (historical) articles forming the construct studied as well as articles related to the construct=s state of the art. Grading is dependent upon how well the students synthesize the articles found. The final assignment is a trends/future of tourism article review. I utilize this assignment to have students ponder what the future of Atourism studies@ will entail and how tourism research will need to adapt. It is hoped that through the process of completing the four assignments, students will better understand how to apply the principles of tourism from both historical and futuristic perspectives.

Never have I had a professor more interested in his students well-being and learning. He truly cares for his students and is extremely fair towards them. He presented us every opportunity for learning and explained all assignments thoroughly. He is an awesome professor. I would definitely take him again!

 

Honestly, this is one of the best courses I have taken in my 3 years of college. Dr. Petrick shows an unbelievable amount of interest and enthusiasm in his work and understanding of his students!

 

Jim is a very dynamic teacher, truly interested in his subject matter and very excited about teaching. He is an expert in the field and a joy to listen to.

 

He is hilarious! Keeps your attention.

 

Very interesting lectures, I enjoyed the class very much! I like that we were actually challenged to apply the information in the case studies.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this class and it is nice to know that you have a professor that is not intimidating to approach if you have a question or problem.

 

Especially good at communicating with students even in a larger classroom environment.

He shows genuine interest in the students and our well being. Is enthusiastic about the material and cares about our success.

 

 

RPTS 606 B Overview of Tourism -- Spring 2000 (6 students)

Friendly, accessible style.

It is easy to understand. He prepares a lot before teaching.

I liked the friendly atmosphere.

 

PRTM 309 B Behavioral Concepts in PRTM -- Spring 1999 (31 students)

Jim is an excellent teacher. He motivates his students to do their best work. He combines comedy, real-life situations and great examples when teaching.

 

Jim is the best teacher I have had at Clemson and PRTM should be disappointed to lose him to Texas. His way of teaching the material was awesome and he knew how to motivate us? He=ll really be missed.

 

Jim takes his teaching to heart and the students can tell he is very knowledgeable and he portrays his information with a great understanding of the material.

 

Best teacher I have had in my 4 years at Clemson! This is my second class with him and I have learned more in his 2 classes than most of mine combined.

 

PRTM 410 B Recreation Research II B Fall 1998 (25 students)

Jim is very easy going, but he knows how to control the class. He is personable and treats everyone equally. You are not intimidated to go seek extra help with Jim.

 

He was always available if we needed any help. He wanted us to succeed in his class and he did his part by making sure we knew the material - He made a rather boring subject pretty interesting.

 

I was nervous about this course. Jim made it fun and very interesting. I really learned a great deal by taking this course with him. He was fair in grading, always available for help and always smiling.

 

He has a rare ability to break complicated problems down and make them understandable.

 

PRTM 342 B Introduction to Tourism B Fall 1998 (31)

Jim Petrick taught me a great deal. He kept me interested and excited in the material. He presented everything well. I think he=s the best Instructor I have had at Clemson.

 

Jim is an outstanding teacher, he has an uncommon ability to explain confusing material in simpler terms.

 

It was interesting and made me want to learn. I enjoyed coming to class because Jim related issues to the class in a fun way that provoked thought.

 

Letters from Students

Appendix H includes copies of unsolicited letters that students have given me in regards to my teaching abilities.

 

Peer Evaluations

Appendix I includes copies of reviews that tenured members of our faculty have given after observing me in the classroom. Specific statements from evaluations by my peers include:

 

RPTS 202 B Fall 1999 (by Dr. John Crompton)

His ability to retain their attention and to elicit their participation and interaction was impressive, especially given the proximity of the class to the Bonfire Tragedy.

The lesson was obviously carefully prepared and structured, but Dr. Petrick made it appear spontaneous.

It is easy to lose and confuse a class of freshman and sophomores when discussing research and evaluation, but Dr. Petrick=s presentation was clear and its relevance was grasped by the students. It was a privilege to observe Dr. Petrick=s fine teaching.

 

RPTS 606 B Spring 2000 (by Dr. Carson Watt)

You have a pleasant, easy to understand lecture style. Students were engaged and willing to respond to your specific questions and direction.

 

Your lectures displayed complete understanding of content in assigned articles. You were able to use student comments to elaborate important points and help them see additional points which they did not bring out!

You displayed an obvious interest and sensitivity to students which I appreciate as a member of the faculty in this department.

 

Awards

Professor of the Year, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, awarded by vote of undergraduate students in the major, April 2000

Most Outstanding Conference Paper, Travel and Tourism Research Association, National Conference, June 2000

Holland America Line Research Award, in recognition of important research for the travel & tourism field, American Society of Travel Agents, January 2000

Innovative Teaching Award and $8,543.40 Grant, for Team Teaching, Team Learning, and Technology. Clemson University, January 1999

Holland America Line Westours Scholarship, in recognition of a future travel and tourism leader, American Society of Travel Agents, December 1997

Excellence in Research Award, Resort and Commercial Recreation Association,November 1997

Future Directions

Student Suggestions and Corresponding Teaching Improvement Strategies

The following are some excerpts from the back of recent teaching evaluation forms in response to the following question: What suggestions do you have to improve the instructor=s teaching? I will try to address each of these issues in my future classes and make changes as needed.

 

Case Study Explanations

Better explanation of case studies

Case Studies need to be described better in directions

 

Use of Outside Resources

Occasional guest speakers

Bring in practitioners from the field to guest lecture

 

Grading

It seemed odd to be on a 100 point scale (total points for the class = 100)

Percentages would have been useful on all the assignments

Professional Development

 

Teaching Improvement Strategies

I plan to sit in on at least one lecture of each faculty member in my department in the upcoming year, in order to increase my exposure to different teaching styles. In addition, I hope to attend as many teaching seminars and workshops that I can. I will also have my classroom videotaped at least once each semester by the Center for Teaching Excellence, in a quest to continually improve my teaching techniques.

 

Course Development

In order to make RPTS 202 accessible to a wider variety of students, I hope to have a web-based version of the class within the next year. This would allow students that prefer to take the class on-line to do so, and will (hopefully) keep the number of students taking the class in the classroom manageable (under 125).

I also hope to have web-based versions of RPTS 606 and 615 available by the Fall of 2001. This would enable students to enroll in these classes, without having to be present on Texas A&M=s campus.

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

COURSES TAUGHT

COURSES TAUGHT

 

Course Name	Credits	Date	Enrollment
RPTS 606 Overview of Tourism	3	Spring >00	6
RPTS 202 Foundations of Tourism	3	Fall >99	115
PRTM 309 Behavioral Concepts in PRTM	3	Spring >99	31
PRTM 410 Recreation Research II	3	Fall >98	25
PRTM 342 Introduction to Tourism	3	Fall >98	31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

EXAMPLES OF CASE STUDIES

RPTS 202

 

Case Problem #1

 

 

To: Tourism Consulting Inc.

 

From: James Petrick

 

Date: August 31, 1999

 

RE: Personality/Attitudes/Values

 

 

You have been hired by Resorts International to determine the psychographic profile of potential visitors to their newest resort, Gig >em Resort, located in Aggieville, TX. The resort is comprised of two championship golf courses, a 22 court tennis facility, and a marina.

 

Prepare a report (using research) which describes the psychographic profiles of 3 distinctly different potential segments of visitors to Gig >em Resort. Utilizing the psychographic information found, create 3 distinctly different promotional campaigns for your clientele (i.e. 1 for golfers, 1 for tennis players, 1 for boaters). Based on the psychographic profiles you have developed from your research, suggest and justify three new services and/or attractions, Resorts International Resorts should develop at their Aggieville location.

 

Please submit your results by 11:10am on October 7^th

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

James Petrick - Big Boss

Resorts International

 

jfp

RPTS 202

 

Case Problem #2

 

 

To: Tourism Consulting Inc.

 

From: James Petrick

 

Date: August 31, 1999

 

RE: Economic Impacts

 

 

You have been hired by Resorts International to estimate the economic impact of tourist expenditures at their Aggieville location. Utilizing the data which you have already collected (expenditures from your trip), assume that these figures are the resulting mean of the 1,000 visitors to the Gig >em resort during the month of August, 1999.

 

Prepare a report utilizing graphs and/or charts, which describe the economic impact of visitors to the Aggieville location during the month of August. Make sure that you separate indirect, direct and induced costs, and when necessary, justify your classification choice.

 

If you were to use a multiplier for your destination, would it be small or large? Justify the size of your multiplier in regards to the amount of leakage within the area chosen.

 

Please make sure your report is neatly presented: graphs are labeled, expenditures are listed and summed, etc.

 

Your completed report is due on October 28^th at 11:10am

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

James Petrick - Big Boss

Resorts International

 

jfp

RPTS 202

 

Case Problem #3

 

 

To: Tourism Consulting

 

From: James Petrick

 

Date: August 31, 1999

 

RE: Social and Cultural Impacts

 

 

Gig= em Resorts is very concerned about the negative social and cultural impacts that the new development, Gig >em Resort, may have on the surrounding society and physical environment. Members of the local city council have opposed this development because they believe with tourism comes crime, crowded roads, crowded restaurants, crowded attractions, higher cost of living, low paying jobs, and the development of cheap crafts for the tourist. Develop a detailed plan to control the anticipated impacts of tourism for this area.

 

Please prepare a document which advises how Resorts International should respond to each of the concerns raised by city council.

 

Please have your report on my desk by 11:10am on November 18^th

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

James Petrick - Big Boss

Resorts International

 

jfp

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX C

SAMPLE LECTURE OUTLINE (RPTS 202)

(Not available online)

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX D

STUDENT INFORMATION QUESTIONNAIRE

RPTS 202

Student Profile

 

 

Name:_______________________________                 Year in School (circle one):

 

Address:_____________________________                         Fr Soph Jr Sr Grad

_____________________________ 

Current Age (in years): ____________

Phone:_______________________________ Gender (circle one): Male Female

 

E-mail:_______________________________ Major: _________________________

 

 

What is your favorite Tourist Destination? _______________________________

 

 How many days per year (on average) would you consider yourself a tourist? _________

 

What 3 people (can be Anybody) would you most like to travel with to your favorite destination?

__________________ __________________ __________________

 

130 Who is the athlete or celebrity you most admire? _____________________________

 

140 What career do you foresee having upon graduation? _________________________

 

150 What is your Dream job upon graduation? __________________________________

 

160 Where would you most like to live upon graduation? __________________________

 

170 What 3 words best describe you as a person?

 

__________________ __________________ __________________

 

180 What is the Greatest Movie of all time? ____________________________________

 

10) What is your Favorite TV show? _________________________________________

 

110 If you were to win Publisher=s Clearing House, what is the 1^st thing you=d do with the money?

___________________________________________________________

 

120 What question would you most like to ask me?

 

_________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX E

COURSE OUTLINES

(Not available online)

 

 

APPENDIX F

SAMPLE EXAMINATIONS

 

(Not Online)

APPENDIX G

STUDENT EVALUATIONS

 

(Not Available Online)

 

 

 

APPENDIX H

UNSOLICITED LETTERS FROM STUDENTS

 

(Not Available Online)

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX I

PEER EVALUATIONS

(Not Available Online)