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Teaching, for me, is fundamentally about human connection and the shared joy of discovery. Every time I step into a classroom, I carry with me the belief that each student possesses unique insights and untapped potential waiting to be unlocked through meaningful engagement with ideas.

I begin each course not with syllabus requirements or assessment criteria, but with stories—real narratives that breathe life into abstract concepts and demonstrate why the material matters beyond the confines of academic exercises. These stories often emerge from my own journey as a learner, including moments of confusion, breakthrough insights, and even spectacular failures that ultimately led to deeper understanding. By sharing these experiences, I hope to normalize the messy, non-linear nature of genuine learning.

The most rewarding moments in my teaching occur when students surprise themselves with their own thinking. I've learned that creating space for "wrong" answers often leads to the most profound discussions. When a student offers what they consider a misguided interpretation, I've discovered that their reasoning frequently illuminates aspects of the topic that textbook explanations miss entirely. These moments remind me that teaching is not about having all the answers, but about becoming better at asking meaningful questions together.

I deliberately cultivate an atmosphere where intellectual humility coexists with rigorous inquiry. This means I occasionally share my own uncertainties and invite students to challenge my interpretations. Some of my most memorable classes have occurred when students pushed back against my explanations, forcing all of us to think more deeply about assumptions we had taken for granted. These exchanges transform the classroom from a space where knowledge is dispensed to one where understanding is genuinely co-created.

My approach to connecting different fields of knowledge stems from a personal conviction that the most interesting problems resist neat disciplinary boundaries. When I help students see how foundational principles in one area illuminate challenges in another, I'm sharing my own excitement about the interconnected nature of human knowledge. This perspective has been shaped by my own interdisciplinary journey and the recognition that complex real-world problems require diverse analytical tools.

Beyond content mastery, I'm deeply invested in helping students develop confidence in their own thinking. I've observed that many students arrive with the belief that learning means memorizing correct answers rather than developing the capacity to grapple with ambiguity and complexity. Through careful scaffolding and genuine encouragement, I work to shift this mindset, helping students recognize that their evolving understanding is valuable and worthy of respect.

Ultimately, my greatest aspiration as an educator is to help students discover their own intellectual courage—the willingness to engage with difficult questions, to persist through confusion, and to trust in their capacity for growth. When former students contact me years later to share how they've applied this mindset to challenges in their professional lives or personal relationships, I'm reminded of why teaching remains one of the most profoundly meaningful ways to spend a career.

Good luck,

Prof. H. Kemal İlter, PhD