Arturo Jaime’s teaching philosophy

My teaching philosophy is to have my student’s progress, welfare, and concern as my primary responsibility as an instructor. For the student to succeed, I must be a teacher, a mentor, a coach, a motivator, and a good listener.

I accomplish this by teaching the class in a fashion similar to what I would want taught to me, if I were in their shoes. This requires that I concentrate and focus on maintaining the student’s interest in the subject of Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology.

In my classes I promote a relaxed and informal atmosphere and encourage students to work in groups of no more than three students. I strongly advocate lab exercises and activities that involve student groups. This provides students with vital opportunities to effectively troubleshoot as a team, yet affording each of them the maximum learning experience.

I always welcome and encourage questions and active participation from the students, and in return, I bring real world experiences to the classroom. This, I accomplish by being active in the field of Air Conditioning, by participating in professional development activities, and by keeping up with new technologies and methodologies.

My teaching philosophy is not to teach textbook theory that I cannot justify or exemplify without real-world HVAC equipment. I utilize multiple strategies and develop handouts that help students comprehend the course materials. In addition to teaching Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating, I teach them to utilize their logical thinking skills. I further encourage them to think about what their answer should look like before they troubleshoot equipment and think about whether their answer are sensible.

In my courses, students get more value out of a “hands on” approach to troubleshooting equipment rather than all of the theory classes put together. I convey to the students, that I have high expectations for each of them, that they are intelligent enough to learn and do the work that I put in front of them. Accept the challenge. A good teacher needs to be receptive to the needs and problems of the students. I accomplish this by identifying the students by their full names and knowing some background information about them. I obtain most of this information in a subtle fashion, via an initial survey and numerous interactions with students. During my office hours, my students are always welcome to consult with me if they are seeking additional help, counseling or advice. I believe that the very best in a person comes out in non stressful situations.

I communicate the course instructional materials, grading policies, and other guidelines. I treat my students honestly, courteously, fairly and consistently. I participate in professional development activities, and keep abreast of new technologies.