ANDREA N. PLUSKOTA, MS, CCC/SLP

As an aspiring teacher, I am confident in my ability to share my passion for course content and commitment to the profession with my students. I believe that teaching is one way to influence the world, one mind at a time. In choosing one theme that encompasses my teaching philosophy, it is and must be diversity. Diversity is a fitting term, since my content expertise lies in cultural and linguistic diversity and communication sciences and disorders; hence, this concept is entrenched in my personal and professional practices. In this context, I define diversity as variety. My affinity for variety inspires my planning and pedagogical practices, drives me to promote the free exchange of ideas, scientific principles, and respect among students, and enables me to capitalize on opportunities for learning outside of the classroom, in my students and in myself. Obviously, the goal of every teacher should be to facilitate student learning, my overarching goal is to learn how to become an even better teacher through diverse teaching and learning experiences with my students. Phil Collins sums up my perspectives nicely with this quote: “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”