Statement of Teaching Philosophy
As an educator, I believe that every person deserves the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to change their world. I am driven to educate the cyber security workforce of tomorrow. This is a critical field that is short of knowledgeable talent. My experience and education can help train the workforce that we need to be aware of the threats we face and know how to deal with them quickly and effectively. I enjoy talking about the topics of information security and cybersecurity. I can talk for hours about it and enjoy seeing the students get as hooked as I am about it. Teaching these topics is challenging, especially when it comes to technical or more logical topics of Information Security and Cybersecurity, so I make sure students feel my drive and energy. One element of teaching that continues to interest me is how each student absorbs information differently and the challenge of finding the best way for each student to learn. I strive to understand as much about them as possible to provide the best learning environment. Applying my years of practical experience, I have the key ability to create immediate relevancy. Students enjoy learning why a certain theory matters and how it can be practically used in the real world.
A good teacher respects and supports a wide diversity of students and their needs while maintaining balance and fairness. I strive to provide an environment where students feel comfortable expressing their needs and opinions and believe that their fellow classmates will benefit from their individual ideas and experience. I tell my students the first day of class to, “always keep yourself marketable”. Knowledge is something no one can take away from you and it’s a very powerful thing to have. Keep moving forward in your career by leaning as much as you can from the brightest people around you. I teach based off the power of those words. Helping students work through challenges that distract them from being engaged and to learn something new requires the teacher to continuously connecting with the student. The instructor’s job in the classroom is to create a supportive environment that allows students to relate the course material to the issues that matter personally to them. I am committed to teaching students the concepts using innovative methods, mentoring those who desire to be mentored, and helping each student achieve their educational goals.
Sincerely,
Leonard B. Simon, MS, CISSP
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