Jill Sisk, PhD

Teaching. What it is and how it is administered can look quite differently across different instructors, to different learners (according to their learning style), and even across institutions. So, what does it look like in me? Here at the Adler Graduate School? And, what type of space do I encourage for a positive learning and teaching experience?

My hopes are to create a collaborative learning process; where I am not as much a “sage on the stage”, but an idea generator, a creator of process, in which the learner makes their own discoveries. I most often create an outline for any given unit, or class, and then present ideas within the area of focus to generate deeper discussions. I incorporate many break-out discussion groups, where peers can further investigate a concept and bring back what was generated from that deeper discussion to the full class.
I also mentioned process. Learners apply what they know into action, where I am there only as a guide, for example, in interviewing one another, in viewing a case conceptualization and then meeting in break out groups to discuss how different dynamics are being played out within that conceptualization.
I don’t know if there is a specific learning theory to best describe my approach to teaching but I do recall once being told that a teacher doesn’t have to know everything, but know how to instill the excitement for knowledge to encourage movement in others and know how to help guide this process. This is something I try to be mindful of in my teaching. My goals for students is for them to gain knowledge surrounding Adlerian principles, understand how they apply to human nature (movement), as well as how to incorporate them into their work with self and others.