This teaching philosophy embodies the practices of the members of the Teaching & Learning Team of Mason Libraries, in both our individual and collective actions. The purpose of specifying our team’s teaching philosophy is to create a bridge between our mission, vision, and values and our day-to-day interactions with the campus community.  We hold ourselves accountable to these intentions and explain them for those interested in collaborating with us. In our teaching, we use the tenets and actions listed here to intentionally incorporate our values of critical compassion, anti-racism, and student-centered learning in our daily work. This is a living document, able to flexibly grow or shift as needed to remain current with informed pedagogy and community needs. Finally, we embody the statements on this document while aspiring to improve in each one through innovation and critical reflection.  

The tenets of our philosophy are: 

We are teachers continually developing our practice. 

  • We consistently seek to improve our teaching by assessing its effectiveness and impact on student learning. 

  • We believe in an open-minded approach to new ideas for the classroom.  

  • We value individual teaching styles and approaches. 

  • We dedicate time for reflective practice to improve our instruction. 

 

Our teaching is intentionally guided by informed pedagogy.  

  • We teach primarily through active learning. 

  • We empower students with the skills to apply learning in a variety of contexts. 

  • We aim to provide students with strategies and tools rather than answers. 

  • We believe in the science of learning. 

 

We intentionally center students in our instruction. 

  • We teach for every student. 

  • We believe every student comes to the classroom with something to contribute, and we invite them to enrich the learning experience by doing so. 

  • We collaborate and build relationships with students. 

  • We learn with and from students. 

 

Teaching must be inclusive and accessible. 

  • We value and encourage expression of the diverse learning and life experiences which students and teachers bring to the classroom. 

  • We create inclusive and accessible learning environments. 

  • We advocate for learning environments that support every learner. 

  • We ensure that all students can fully participate in our instruction.   

 

Collaboration is the key to authentic learning experiences. 

  • We teach in partnership with instructional faculty, students, and the community. 

  • We collaborate within and beyond our team to foster creativity and growth of our teaching practice. 

  • We build relationships with campus partners that strengthen and sustain our teaching. 

  • We believe learning happens throughout campus life and extends beyond the traditional classroom.