"I do not teach anyone. I only provide the environment in which they can learn." Albert Einstein
I love nursing so much, and to be able to teach nursing was an absolute joy. Many of the quotes you find on my site are reflections of my teaching and life philosophy. I do not believe that I actually teach, but help the person open the door by providing them the tools to learn. I believe everyone wants to find self-actualization and it is my hope that I will be instrumental in that process. I love interacting with students and engaging them in a way that permits me to know them at a personal level so I can discover those things within them that can be nurtured into lifelong active learners and caring nurses. Not just in the nursing sciences, but in the Art of Nursing and the journey they are on. It is a whole life concept. It is an holistic approach to the student that engages them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. To become the person they were meant to become.
Modeling that behavior and helping them develop a philosophy that will serve them in whatever they do is an amazing experience. It is easy to see that I follow the humanistic teaching theory, and because I want my students to be critical thinkers, I utilize the Transformational Theory so they can look within themselves to discover who they are. Because by discovering who they are, they will free themselves and be able to truly care for another individual. It will allow their whole being to come together and then their intuition will engage and they will be practicing that art known as "Nursing." I will have not only participated in assisting someone to became a wonderful nurse, but assisted someone in engaging life to its fullest.
I encourage my students to challenge me as I will challenge them. All I ask is what Virginia Hendersen stated, and that is to "Let my intentions be honest, respectful, humble, and loving." I share my personal misadventures with them to let them know that we are all fallible and human. I tell them many personal stories in nursing to help them put the pieces together and will ask them questions until they no longer can answer my questions and then I point them in the direction they need to go. I let them be active learners. I want them to feel safe. I want them to help me make decisions about how we proceed. I want to empower them.
All of this has the intent of producing a nurse that is mature, self-directed, emotional intelligent, capable of deep thinking, a critical thinker, and most of all, a person with heart. I am honored to be a participant in this process. I have been given two natural gifts: 1) The gift of expression; and 2) the gift to inspire. By sharing those gifts, it is my hope the student will possess those qualities too and pass them forward.
Modeling that behavior and helping them develop a philosophy that will serve them in whatever they do is an amazing experience. It is easy to see that I follow the humanistic teaching theory, and because I want my students to be critical thinkers, I utilize the Transformational Theory so they can look within themselves to discover who they are. Because by discovering who they are, they will free themselves and be able to truly care for another individual. It will allow their whole being to come together and then their intuition will engage and they will be practicing that art known as "Nursing." I will have not only participated in assisting someone to became a wonderful nurse, but assisted someone in engaging life to its fullest.
I encourage my students to challenge me as I will challenge them. All I ask is what Virginia Hendersen stated, and that is to "Let my intentions be honest, respectful, humble, and loving." I share my personal misadventures with them to let them know that we are all fallible and human. I tell them many personal stories in nursing to help them put the pieces together and will ask them questions until they no longer can answer my questions and then I point them in the direction they need to go. I let them be active learners. I want them to feel safe. I want them to help me make decisions about how we proceed. I want to empower them.
All of this has the intent of producing a nurse that is mature, self-directed, emotional intelligent, capable of deep thinking, a critical thinker, and most of all, a person with heart. I am honored to be a participant in this process. I have been given two natural gifts: 1) The gift of expression; and 2) the gift to inspire. By sharing those gifts, it is my hope the student will possess those qualities too and pass them forward.
"We are but angels with one wing.
It is when we embrace that we can fly."
Unknown
It is when we embrace that we can fly."
Unknown