Patti J. Davis, M.S.
2008-2009 Future Faculty Program Participant

Ph.D. Student - Social Psychology
Department of Psychology
The University of Georgia
pjdavis@uga.edu

M.S. University of Georgia, 2006
B.A. Spelman College, 2004

Teaching Philosophy

You cannot teach a person anything;
you can only help him find it within himself.
Galileo Galilei

Inquiry is at the crux of what it means to be a psychologist. Our goal is to ask questions and conduct research to determine the answers. Interestingly enough, real life is not all that different from scientific inquiry. Although individual differences exist in the extent that people benefit from the learning process, there is always a benefit. To this end, my personal teaching philosophy is motivated by the following ideas:

I want my students to become lifelong thinkers.  I try to foster independent thinking in my classroom. Often, this involves sharpening problem solving skills by tackling real-life examples, and giving them opportunities to read empirical and popular reports of recent research. This practical application is what separates memorization from appreciation and utility. They are always encouraged to share knowledge amongst their fellow classmates through in-class dialogues and small group projects. Research is comprised of asking questions and seeking out the answers – as lifelong thinkers, they will never be at a loss for questions.

Empowerment is highly correlated with motivation. The students’ needs are important. Although many topics are essential, there will always be room to incorporate student interests into the course schedule. If students believe it is their class too, they will be more likely to input their attention and effort into successfully completing it. My students are also rewarded for effort. Attempting is often more important than perfection, and to this effect, my students have opportunities to be objectively assessed, peer assessed, and participate in self-assessments of course material. I believe that by holding students personally accountable for their performance they will benefit more from it.

I never particularly loved school, but I loved to learn. That is how I teach: to cater to those students who enjoy learning. For my students who do not love to learn, I try to ease the process by giving them in-class and web resources to peak their interest and enhance course material. As a student, I often wondered if my teacher had forgotten the experience of being a student. I do not want to be an academic hypocrite. I encourage my students to become co-investigators in the academic process, realizing that the critical tool needed for success is the will and drive that they had all along.