Teaching Philosophy
TEACHING STATEMENT: HUMANISTIC MENTORSHIP ROOTED IN CURIOSITY AND EMPATHY
Empathy lies at the heart of my teaching philosophy, shaped by my experiences and pedagogical training at Michigan State University. Early in my teaching journey, I was struck by the challenges many students face in balancing rigorous coursework with economic pressures and personal responsibilities. I quickly realized that sustaining their engagement requires helping them navigate these competing demands with compassion and flexibility.
Equally formative were my childhood experiences, particularly the bedtime stories my siblings shared, which sparked a deep curiosity about the world. These moments taught me the transformative power of wonder and its role in inspiring independent learning. As a result, my teaching philosophy centers on humanistic mentorship, defined as a commitment to students’ personal and intellectual growth, grounded in genuine care for their lives, cultures, and goals—both inside and outside the classroom. Two core goals underpin this approach: to cultivate curiosity in my students and to empower them to pursue that curiosity independently.
I foster curiosity by connecting course content to students’ lived experiences. For example, while teaching “The World of Media,” at MSU, I introduced digital privacy by having students download and analyze their own social media data. This revealed how platforms profile users, and students were immediately engaged—eager to uncover insights about their own digital footprints. I also use storytelling through documentaries and podcasts to sustain interest and spark imagination. These tools help students see the broader world beyond the classroom and inspire them to explore it.
In addition, I try to develop my course content to be a blend of past and current research together with recent developments in the social world. For instance, when I teach a concept like ‘gatekeeping’ in journalism, I let my course content trace the evolution of the concept to current trends considering the rapidly changing world of journalism where, for example, social media challenges journalists’ role as gatekeepers. This is to make students see knowledge as a dynamic process that requires constant exploration, and discovery.
Through assignments, correspondence, and consultations, I’ve become increasingly aware of how classroom diversity shapes learning. Thus, I incorporate students’ unique backgrounds into instructional strategies, helping them connect academic concepts to real-life experiences. In my Media Law and Ethics class, students applied course principles to dilemmas they personally face—such as privacy rights and freedom of speech. Their interpretations were shaped by personal histories and cultural contexts. My role was to validate these experiences while guiding students to apply critical thinking and distinguish between sentiment and sound argumentation.
I adopt strategies that promote independence, collaboration, and reflection. Students manage their own projects through group work and lead class sessions to take ownership of learning. Open-ended assignments allow them to draw on their communities for insight, while personalized feedback helps them self-assess and set meaningful goals. In the end, these strategies aim to kindle and sustain students’ interest in the pursuit of knowledge and there is evidence that these approaches have been very successful. For example, a student remarked about my media law class: “This professor was phenomenal and the class, if I was so able, I would take again. Law has become extremely interesting to me.” Another student wrote: “I had an insightful experience in this class. I appreciated being able to go into detail on the First Amendment and certain landmark cases.” Another student in my summer 2024 class remarked that “I thought this class was very intriguing! This class does not fall under my direct major and was more of an elective for me. With that, it kept me interested the whole time and I enjoyed learning more about these topics.”
After creating interest, there is the need to empower students to satisfy their curiosity, and this entails the second major component of my humanistic mentorship approach, the bedrock of which lies in showing leadership and interest in the total wellbeing of students. I do this, first by being responsive to students’ individual challenges that can inhibit their learning experience. Some of these challenges that I have encountered include sudden health challenges, adverse economic situations such as loss of parental support, the overwhelming demands of work, among others. I respond to these challenges by meeting students to offer encouragement and develop pathways of learning tailored to their unique situations. Some of the pathways include makeup assignments, special projects and a general flexibility that allow students to navigate their various challenges without compromising the highest standards of instructions.
In addition, I create an inclusive classroom structure that fosters free expression. For example, I design mid-semester surveys through which students anonymously evaluate the class and air any concerns they might have. This allows me to develop a flexible course structure to meet students’ evolving needs throughout the semester. Students greatly appreciate this flexibility and empathy as evident in their reviews. A student in my media law and ethics class wrote: “I think the fact that professor Senyo lessened the workload to accommodate for students taking other classes was very noble. I work a full-time job and have been taking two other classes, so I was very grateful for his mindfulness.”
Another student wrote: “His approach throughout this class was extremely beneficial for myself, both as a student and an individual.” Another student in the same class added, “I appreciate the willingness Professor Senyo had to work with us, it is clear that he wants the best for his students and wants to see them succeed.” A student in my summer 2024 class wrote that the professor is “extremely responsive and managed the class well, listened to students’ needs”, while another student in the same class added that “The professor was available and eager to help when necessary.” Building trust between me and my students has served as a foundation for a pleasant and successful learning experience for students.
What these experiences teach me is that becoming an outstanding instructor is a growth process in which I intend to continue by updating myself with the latest research-backed pedagogies and innovative strategies of teaching. I will also continue to reflect on my teaching experiences, evaluating myself, and incorporating feedback from my students into future learning strategies for self-improvement. This places on me a continuous commitment to research, thereby leading by example and showing how new knowledge can contribute to making individuals and society better.
The fire of curiosity that was lit in my belly by the bedtime stories of my siblings years ago, has taken me on an ongoing intellectual voyage. Now the next stage of this adventure is to inspire, through humanistic mentorship, a new crop of intellectual explorers on the path to discovering and creating a better world.