A Garden of Growth – Teaching Philosophy

Every Mother’s Day my family would take a trip to the local hardware store and spend hours filling the push-
cart with all kinds of seeds, flowers, and vegetables. This then meant that every summer you could usually find
me barefoot in the backyard tending to the garden. Though at the time I was not the biggest fan of gardening,
I now reflect on those days with a greater appreciation. Those days spent in the garden taught me how
rewarding it is to help those around me grow into what they are destined to become. This lesson has
transcended beyond the garden, into my passion for teaching. I have experienced first-hand, both in didactic
and experiential settings, the powerful impact of a teacher, preceptor, or mentor who fosters the growth of an
individual, not just a future professional. During those experiences, under their guidance, I flourished more
than I ever thought possible and truly started to see my full potential. It is due to their influence, that I wish to
do the same for others throughout my lifetime: become their gardener, if you will, helping all individuals
thrive and strive for their true passions.
When I reminisce about hauling the seeds, flowers, and veggies out of the back of the car, I remember being
intrigued by how each were at different stages of growth. This same realization is a key step in my teaching
philosophy, for just like plants require a different level of care depending on their current state, so do learners.
Thus, I always prefer talking and interacting with the learners around me in various settings, before any
teaching begins. This is a crucial step at the start of the relationship for it is during this time in which I will
identify where they are in their stage of growth in a variety of areas. I have found that individuals can be on
different places of the learning curve depending on what skills or knowledge you are evaluating. By breaking it
down into different areas, I can then meet them where they are on their learning curves and encourage them
to grow from those points forward.
Does this plant need sun, shade, or a little bit of both? Does it grow in a pot, in the ground, or is either fine?
Just like plants require certain environments to grow – there are various types of learners that require
different environments and approaches that allow them to best develop. A question I consistently ask myself
when working with a learner is “what are the right tools and support for this learner?” I seek to provide an
environment where all learners grow by providing them with a personalized experience that fits their needs.
Some learners simply require my presence to give them the confidence to try a new skill, while others would
prefer for me to demonstrate a skill a few times before they jump in. Some prefer formal topic discussions,
while others might love to learn on the fly. The big benefit here with people, unlike plants, is that they can
describe their learning process and ideal environment. On the first day with a new learner, I have determined
that it is important for me to sit down and have that conversation with them, so that I can determine how I
can optimize the environment to help them grow best.
Just like strong roots and stalks of plants allow them to withstand any storm, having an unshakeable
foundation in basic skills and knowledge will allow a learner to endure anything that might come their way in
the future. Though these basics may have initially been taught in a didactic setting, sometimes the information
or skills don’t quite click until they must be applied in a real-life environment. Thus, throughout my time
working alongside a learner, I desire to evaluate and develop their knowledge base and skills through having
interactive discussions and providing them with opportunities to practice the information or skills. I also work
to encourage learners to shift their mindset from “this will be on the test” to “this could be my next patient or
project”. It is imperative that they know how to take the information and skills they learn in a classroom or
mock-setting and transfer them into an ever-changing real-life environment. For when this alternation in
perspective occurs, they will then truly see the long-term benefits associated with establishing a strong
foundation so that they may be successful now and in the future.
Lastly, though seeds of different plants may look alike, they are destined to become something different. From
colorful flowers that brighten a rainy day to a tall oak tree that provides shade, it is this diversity that creates
nature’s true beauty. This diversity can also be found in learners’ passions and callings. Due to this, it is
important for me to work diligently to foster the individual in their pursuit of following their true passions.
This can be completed through asking thought provoking questions and providing opportunities that will allow
them to explore their interests even further. By allowing learners to be themselves, I am also encouraging
them to live authentic and meaningful lives. Additionally, I believe in challenging learners with new
experiences outside of their current areas of interest. In doing so, I am fostering the life-long practice of
exploring new concepts or skills that they can then apply to their future field of choice.
Overall, my hope as an invested teacher, much like a successful gardener, is to cultivate a prosperous group of
diverse individuals who are living their true purpose daily. Realizing that, as these people take up the art of
cultivating people themselves, I have laid the groundwork to sow the seeds of future generations. To be a part
of something's growth, whether it be a flower, tree, or person is truly a beautiful gift of which I am thankful to
be a part of and wish to never take for granted.