Nursing Teaching Philosophy

Constance Winning

Teaching philosophy

I bring a wealth of experience to my role as a nurse educator. As a maternal child nurse for over 30 years, I have had many roles and I draw on rich experience while teaching students in clinical and classroom settings. My nursing educational philosophy is rooted in Watson’s Caring Theory; that “we learn from one another how to be human by identifying ourselves with others, finding their dilemmas in ourselves” (1985).

The need to learn, to question, analyze and take action occurs in the context of our lives. My nursing care and teaching reflect respect for a transformative view of learning. People make sense of their life experiences as part of a developmental process, in interaction with others or in reaction to critical events. Pre-professional

On the first day of teaching a new clinical group, I usually start with identification of what the students already know by utilizing assessment tools and informal group discussion. When I evaluate student learning, I consider what knowledge the students want to gain by the end of the course and their career aspirations, as well as the instructional objectives.

As an instructor, I creatively join nursing concepts and theories with the relevant clinical experiences by providing examples that students can comprehend. I encourage students to draw on their personal experiences when learning. They are allowwed opportunities for reflection and reaction to new information presented. The process of connecting the theories and concepts in the clinical setting enables students to become engaged and excited about nursing. Engagement motivates inquiry and critical thinking, encouraging the search for relevance on their own as they expand their understanding and appreciation of