Teaching Philosophy Statement

I seek to establish a conceptual framework for the subject in the classroom, insuring students understand the fundamental concepts and providing an environment where students can explore applications in “real life.”   The term classroom is a broad one, including both traditional, hybrid  and on-line classes.  I am comfortable with all three modalities. The learning objectives for the class should be independent of the venue. The methods used to reach the objectives will vary based on the venue.  An emphasis on engagement, self-direction and self-monitoring enables critical thinking, analysis of data and integration of course material bridging the gap between theory and practice.

With an extensive and broad financial and business background I rely on my experiences to engage, inspire and challenge students to go beyond technical understanding.  I believe the most significant learning occurs in situations that are both meaningful and realistic. The overriding goal of my teaching has been to place learners in virtual experiential situations where material mastery is compelling and applicable to the financial world. One of the most successful classes I taught was at Rutgers Business School immediately after the very sad and deadly “Tylenol” problem Johnson & Johnson encountered several decades ago.   My classroom was directly across the street from their headquarters, where we could see their executives frantically working late into the night.    My class that day centered on the business strategy, accounting and financial presentation options their executives could pursue.  In many ways, my class was on the “front-line” of the event.  My students not only learned, but could see the application of their knowledge to events as they happened. They could compare their classroom recommendations to that adopted by the company.

I attempt to highlight the interrelationship of all concepts within the conceptual framework using assignments, presentations, quizzes, and other evaluations designed to hone the student’s analytical, presentation, and financial skills. I have attempted to follow this philosophy of material application throughout student assignments and examinations.  My reliance on rubrics for grading exams and other assignments enables me, as well as my students, to identify areas where they are excelling or where they require help, as well as fostering a sense of fairness in the grading process.

I believe I possess a very unique skill set that is an important part of my value proposition.  Over the course of my career, I have been responsible for every corporate function, including sales and management.  I pride myself in not being the archetypal accountant, but rather a complete businessman.  I seek to impart that knowledge to my students.  Secondly, my other intellectual pursuits provide valuable skills such as being able to make an effective presentation, write a report or a one-page memo.

My teaching experience spans several universities, where I have taught a range of business courses and liberal arts courses.   I pride myself on keeping abreast in developments in my profession.   I maintain my CPA license by fulfilling my Continuing Professional Education requirements on an annual basis.  I have done this continuously since  I earned my license.  As a life-long  learner, I seek the most up-to-date research, practices, authoritative literature and theories in the area of finance, economics, management and accounting.

I believe in using the LMS employed at the college to its fullest extent.  Students appreciate the ability to access course materials from anywhere and they especially appreciate receiving feedback as quickly as possible.  I keep the Gradebook and Attendance records in the LMS up to date so student know exactly where they stand at all times.  Students also can access grading rubrics and understand how they are being graded.