While I don't have a fully developed pedagogy, I've given considerable thought to the art of teaching. I've been invited to lead teaching workshops for our PhD students at the CUNY Graduate Center on several occasions. I often start with a statement along these lines:
"Teaching should be an important part of your day."
I advise students that while they'll likely wear many hats in their future careers, they should strive to make teaching a source of satisfaction rather than merely a professional duty. This satisfaction, I explain, comes with effort and developing one's teaching skills. I then stress the significance of research, which is typically at the forefront of their minds. Academics thrive on learning and research, and effective teaching should be among their areas of excellence.
In the classroom, we directly shape our students' learning experience. Our actions and attitudes set the tone. As all teachers know, we're the focal point of attention, which means we're leading—whether we acknowledge it or not. When you're in front of a classroom, leadership simply happens, and it can range from excellent to mediocre to poor.
But this is precisely why teaching offers a unique advantage over other professional activities like research and administration. While these other roles involve wrestling with external factors—such as funding, referee reports, and bureaucratic procedures—and focusing on long-term outcomes, the classroom provides an immediate and tangible experience. Regardless of what's happening in our professional or personal lives, we can step into the classroom and strive for the kind of impact that often eludes us elsewhere. Here, we can create a space where connection, satisfaction, and fun are with reach.
In reach, that is, if teaching is an important part of our day.