Matthew J.

Piccolino
PharmD Candidate 2020
Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Teaching Philosophy

Our job as educators is to inspire curiosity and instill a desire to learn in our students. It is
undoubtedly important to teach the foundational knowledge required, but how is it that we
communicate that information? Traditionally speaking, teachers lecture, students may or may not listen,
and there would be minimal, if any, conversing between the two. I seek to change that structure; to
move away from tradition and embrace a style of teaching that inspires his students to open themselves
up to the realm of possibilities already in front of them; a move from teacher-student to educator-
philomath. As such, my teaching philosophy comprises a triumvirate of student-based education
methods: Game/experience-based learning, Personalized-learning, and Socratic-based learning.
My first method is actually a 2-for-1 special; it provides a term for how I like to teach both in the
classroom and in real life. Game-based learning is an idea that we as educators can make the classroom
significantly more interesting and engaging for our students. Rather than just learning and regurgitating
information for an exam, I prefer to use this method to imbue a mastery mindset in my students,
turning them into problem solvers. Examples of this include Kahoot!, a game in which students compete
against each other, accumulate points for answering questions correctly, and the winner would then
receive a prize. Another example would be case-based exercises for students to work up, independently
or as a group. If in a group, for example, they would be given three lifelines (hints) with which they my
ask a question and receive an answer that would steer them on the right path, though many may exist.
At the end, we would work the case up as a class and discuss. Experience-based learning is the real life
version of Game-based learning. In this, I expose those I am teaching to different scenarios in which they
may very well not know the answer. For example, as a pharmacist intern about to graduate, I
deliberately have the younger interns that work with me personally help or counsel as many patients as
possible, regardless of whether they may know the answer. The pharmacist or I, of course, are always
there listening and are readily available in the event the younger interns are unsure of how to handle it;
afterwards, we’ll address what may have been confusing. This style is about building practical skills, such
as communication, more than expecting them to know the right answer.
My next method is known as personalized-learning. This is an area of great interest for me as it
is an idea that students may choose topics that interest them and expand their knowledge through
various ways. Of course, as I have stated before, not everything is optional; there are still core topics
that must be taught that will provide a foundation for their own growth; how else will you know what
truly interests you if you’re never exposed to it? In order to personalize their learning, a project is
implemented that allots roughly 20% of class time to students, allowing them to select a topic, research
it, and present it to the class. This would turn them each into the “teacher,” potentially pulling them out
of their comfort zones, but allowing for a sense of pride in their work and determination to master it.
Lastly, I like to implement a Socratic-based teaching style. As the title hints, this is all about
asking questions. I always encourage my students/younger interns to ask questions regarding anything
they are unsure of. This prompts a discussion. However, instead of giving them the answer, I will ask a
question in response to trigger a thought process, allowing them to work it out for themselves. This style
allows for connections to be made between topics and fosters a better, more rounded understanding. I
have noticed that this method is sometimes frustrating for those students who only want a direct
answer, but, once they understand why something is the way it is, whether it be physiologically or
pharmacologically, they are no longer frustrated.
 While my style is most certainly a work in progress, initial student feedback is positive. I plan to
continue implementing student-based learning methods in my lessons so that I may foster future life-
long learners who seek to understand and not memorize.