Nancy's Teaching Philosophy
"If you don't believe that people have the capacity to grow, then you might as well shut everything down because the nature of being human is to be on a journey towards a higher level (Jim Collins).
My belief that all participants in the learning process are collaborators forms the foundation of principles and practices that ground my teaching philosophy in theory and ongoing development. Though one is designated the teacher and the other a student, the usual image of one who stands over the other serves little purpose. In this mutual relationship that informs my practice, the teacher, rather than posturing as a subject matter expert who positions herself in front of the student, is a leader, or facilitator of learning. In this capacity the role of teacher is one who welcomes and is open to the possibility of learning with the student, as if the two, teacher and student, are standing side by side and both seeking to advance their knowledge and skill in a given area of inquiry. Both desire to venture into the realm of creating new knowledge and deeper understanding. The teacher as learning leader or facilitator of learning leads the way with a certain confidence and faith in the process of learning, ensuring they together maintain their focus and avoid the perils of merely going around in circles or digressing in irrelevant directions.
In practice, the facilitator of learning believes in the learner's ability to learn and does not rob them of the opportunity to explore the relationship between experience and new knowledge, diverse perspectives and an ongoing practice of inquiry. To this end, the facilitator of learning seeks, in any subject, to develop the mind of the learner, rather than seeking to fill or pummel the student with information. Adult students, with their varying degrees of and types of experience are sometimes reluctant to shed their beliefs and assumptions, attitudes and postures, even when new evidence may indicate inherent weakness in the lessons of their experience. The role of facilitator is to accept this challenge by ensuring that ongoing guidance and feedback is consistent among students, is honest and forthright and in line with clear expectations made from the beginning of their learning journey.
Facilitation strategies that aim to develop the mind of the learner seek to develop a sense of ownership. To this end, the facilitator of learning understands that it is the responsibility of learners to engage in the learning process as active participants, not as passive recipients of information. As a learning facilitator, my respect for students' ability to learn and create new knowledge is unceasing and it is my role to tap into their natural motivation and create an environment that is safe enough for them to welcome change, conflict and even seeming failures as opportunity for growth.
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| Starting as a co-program designer, course author and adjunct professor in 2004, Nancy has been closely aligned with conceptualization and ongoing sustenance of the Leadership MBA. Serving as the program's director since 2010 and as an Associate Professor, Nancy brings her passion for and longevity of the study and practice of leadership to ensure the resilience and relevance of its content.
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Nancy has been practicing YOGA for more than 20 years and received her RYT200 Certification in 2018 from the Tula Institute at Posabilities in Norway, Maine.
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