Teaching Philosophy

“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink” (Old English Homilies, 1175)

Thinking back to the little boy who avoided academics in order to play sports, I find it ironic that I am now pursuing a career in education. Growing up, I was never interested in school, reading, or homework, I was mostly interested in playing every sport possible. I made it a mission to be competitive in every sport; I would train and practice in order to compete against everyone in any environment, all whilst ignoring my academics and furthering my education. I found myself behind in school and was placed into remedial courses through high school due to my lack of effort and educational understanding. I felt out of place, as if I did not belong in these remedial courses; I felt nobody really gave me a chance to prove them wrong, when in the end, it was me who proved everyone right.

After accepting my offer to pursue my PhD, my father told me: “I always knew you were smart, you just never applied yourself”. This statement resonated with me and threw me back to those remedial classes. I would always tell myself: “nobody is giving me a chance to prove that I am smart”, when in reality, it was always me who never cared, simply because school was not a sport. These experiences have shaped my approach to education and inspired me to help the students who may be feeling the same way I felt.

My teaching philosophy revolves around the quote provided above: I can lead a horse (student) to water (education) but I can’t make them drink (force them to learn). Through my experiences, I learned that education is influenced and disseminated externally but conceptualized and motivated internally. The moment I began to apply myself, I found a passion for learning; great educators understand how to motivate their students to pursue what is important to them. Herein lies my philosophy, I will do everything in my power to lead my students to greatness, but in the end, it is up to them to act upon their interests.

My philosophy is rooted in structure, respect, and highly interactive learning environments that prepare students not only for academic success but for professional life beyond the classroom. I believe effective learning is a collaborative process between instructor and student(s) built on clear and precise expectations with mutual respect and honesty. The format of my courses will be clear and structured in a way that students will never be surprised by assignments or content. I believe a predictable and organized environment fosters confidence within students to allow intellectual risk-taking and comfortability. My courses emphasize a clear structure – from the syllabus and assignment guidelines to the flow of daily lessons – so students always know what is expected of them and the precise nature they will be assessed upon. I will stress the importance of punctuality throughout my course to submit work by clear deadlines, which is a fundamental aspect of professionalism that directly correlates to success in collaborative projects and future careers.

I view the classroom as a collaborative space where learning is built through group discussion and activities. My teaching is heavily discussion-oriented because deep understanding comes not from passive listening (i.e., lecturing), but from active engagement and intellectual exchange with peers. My assignments and activities are designed for students to articulate their ideas, challenge assumptions, and synthesize diverse viewpoints in a collaborative environment (i.e., peer-to-peer). I personally do not administer large-scale exams (i.e., mid-term and final exams), as I believe this form of assessment to be mis-leading in terms of collective understanding of a topic or content area. Instead, small-scale individual quizzes will be administered to assess the student’s understanding of the content.

The classroom must be a space defined by mutual respect. I treat all students as intellectual partners, valuing the unique experiences and perspectives each student brings to class. This principle requires honesty in all interactions, where I will provide candid, constructive feedback with students that clearly identifies areas of improvement and growth whilst avoiding ambiguity. In terms of the student, I expect integrity in and through their academic work, believing that a commitment to honest effort is integral to personal development and professional success.

My ultimate goal as an educator is to prepare my students for success in whatever world they want to pursue, whether that be industry, academic, non-profit, or trade. I aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry, modeling my course in such a way that is directly applicable to real-world problems. My course(s) will prepare students to be successful in the environment they want to pursue through practical activities, exercises, and discussions.

In summary, I am extremely dedicated in providing an environment for students to feel comfortable to apply themselves with the content. Reminiscing back to my younger self, I wish my teacher(s) tried to find unique ways to understand what motivated me. This is my ultimate goal as an educator: to find what motivates my students and provide them a platform to excel, far greater than I was ever able to. I will always lead my students to excellence, but in the end, it is up to them to take the leap of faith.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistant, RST 440 “HR Management in RST” 2025-2026

Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Assistant to Professor Dr. Sarah Agate

Teaching Assistant, RST 460 “Event Management” 2025-2026

Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Assistant to Professor Dr. Sarah Agate

Teaching Assistant, RST 430/587 “Sport & Development” 2024-2025

Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Assistant to Professor Dr. Yannick Kluch

Guest Lectures

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

RST 430: Sport & Development (TA)

September 2024: Community Sport Development

October 2024: Sport and Climate Action

February 2025: Community Sport Development

March 2025: Sport and Climate Action

RST 460: Event Management (TA)

October 2025: Site/Venue Management

October 2025: Staffing Issues and Principles

November 2025: Event Delivery and Customer Service

November 2025: Careers and Future Trends

February 2026: Event Porftolio Conceptualization (i.e., planning)

RST 440: Human Resource Management in RST (TA)

October 2025: Job Design

October 2025: Staffing from HR perspective

October 2025: Performance Appraisal and Firings

February 2026: Volunteer + Volunteerism

February 2026: Motivation and Professional Organizations

February 2026: Personality Development and Conflict Resolution

March 2026: Job Design + Motivation

April 2026: Performance Appraisal

RST 325: Marketing in RST

November 2025: Consumer Psychological Connection

RST 301: Sport Brand Management

November 2025: Psychological Continuum Model and Loyalty

Western Michigan University

HPHE 2201: Career Development & Branding

October 2025: Creating a Podcast