Teaching Philosophy Statement of Dr. David M. Gossman

The primary deficiency of contemporary secondary and undergraduate instruction is the virtual abandonment of the core curriculum.  The cultural and religious foundations of our society are based upon Judeo-Christian teachings and the Greco-Roman heritage, but unfortunately this heritage has been disparaged and discarded by too many institutions in favor of a trendy secularist and relativistic curriculum.  The modern secondary school and university acknowledge and promote the God-given free will of their students, but make virtually no effort to educate their students to pursue wisdom or use reason to justify belief or action.

Education in a Catholic institution should be Catholic in both a philosophical (catholic) and a religious (Catholic) sense:  to instruct students in a body of knowledge that all educated people should know, and to cultivate an increased understanding and appreciation of Catholic faith and theology.  A thorough grounding in the collective wisdom of Western Christian thought is an essential foundation if students are, to paraphrase Pope John Paul II from Ex Corde Ecclesiae, apply natural reason in their search for Truth about nature, man and God.  I am convinced that instructing students in the traditional Catholic liberal arts curriculum, originally articulated by John Henry Cardinal Newman (and more recently affirmed by Pope John Paul II), is the most effective means of forming virtuous and productive citizens who will contribute to the development of a moral, civil and pluralistic society.

In the classroom, my primary emphasis is to encourage students to consider the effects of contemporary events on the presentation of the past, with the understanding that history is an ongoing process of investigation rather than a reduction of facts to a “correct” answer.  Through this approach, students working on an assignment have a sense that they are performing historical research and analysis rather than simply completing an exercise.  Additionally, showing the relevance of historical incidents to contemporary situations, and studying the progression of scientific, technological, political, social and economic change, cultivates within students the importance of studying history.  Informed citizens need to be aware of their nation’s history and its place in the world. 

Furthermore, the tools of the historical researcher (use of primary and secondary sources, writing, editing, analysis and synthesis) are essential not only to the professional historian, but also to the professional editor, journalist, scientist, engineer, administrator, or businessman.  Sound research methodologies and persuasive argument are crucial to most professions in our increasingly information-driven society.  Historical research also provides an opportunity for students to further develop their capacities to sort and weigh evidence and to think critically.  The study of history provides both a broad cultural literacy and important skills applicable to any student’s future endeavors.  

In my educational and research background, I have avoided narrow specialization:  my research interests encompass science, the humanities and the interaction between the United States and the rest of the world.  My education is a product of Catholic schools, public schools, a traditional liberal arts undergraduate university and a research-oriented graduate university.  My interest in science and the history of science is the product of my desire to understand man’s efforts to comprehend and describe the universe around him and discern the abundant evidence of God’s design in His creation.  Continuing to learn and grow in wisdom and faith is my lifelong goal, and reflects the educational mission of Christ the King Cathedral School.