my teaching philosophy

Children are smart and capable individuals who have so much to offer to their classrooms and communities.  I believe education is an interactive process that requires active participation from the students, teachers, administration and parents.  My teaching philosophy is based on the need to develop well-rounded individuals through meaningful curriculum and social interactions.  Children have such an innate excitement and drive to learn that we must celebrate and match this enthusiasm by creating a stimulating educational experience.

Learning is a process that is unique to each individual and each child learns best when they are personally invested in the material and connect to the subject on a deeper level.  This life-long process will be most successful if each activity is structured in a meaningful way that not only reflects the needs of my students but their interests as well.  I believe learning should not be about memorizing factual information but rather an exploration of self-discovery and community awareness.  As such I strongly believe in a student-oriented classroom that incorporates cooperative learning activities, student-lead discussions and instruction through scaffolding.  Each child will be a teacher in my classroom as I believe invaluable lessons are learned from the experiences of working and collaborating with others.  While social interactions are important, experiential hands-on activities are equally essential in the learning process.  Integrating different problem-solving techniques and encouraging my students to actively participate in their education is the driving force for developing independent thinkers.  This can only happen if I establish an atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing ideas and learning without fear of judgment.  It is through social interactions and exploratory curriculum that students gain content knowledge as well as develop a sense of identity and community.   

The purpose of education is to create well-rounded individuals who understand factual knowledge and use their education as a catalyst to promote acceptance and awareness for those who don’t have a voice in society.  In this sense education is holistic in the development of a child’s cognitive, cultural, social, physical and emotional identity.  In my classroom education will go beyond the textbooks and four walls by embracing the community and providing opportunities for personal growth.  While the curriculum should include basic subjects such as math, English, science and history it should also consist of art, music and physical education.  Keeping in mind the cultural diversity of my students, I want to structure the curriculum in a way that highlights the many different intelligences and learning styles in my classroom.  Throughout the year I will integrate different activities that utilize the separate intelligences giving students a forum for self-expression through less traditional means.  However, education is more than answering every question correctly on a standardized test.  Thus, academics shouldn’t be restricted to knowledge just from books, but should also encourage the development of skills that will empower students in all aspects of their lives.  Connecting classroom lessons to worldly problems can help students recognize their education is relevant at every level. 

As a teacher it is imperative to fashion my classroom in a manner that promotes community as well as supports the evolution of each unique individual.  I can’t demand that my students learn as they are solely responsible for creating their own understandings.  As a teacher I must facilitate and make available materials, conversations (both social and intrapersonal) and experiences that promote growth and independence.  This may require incorporating outside resources such as community members; however, my role is to provide all necessary tools and guidance to aid in the learning process.  If I am to be successful I will need to know about my students, understand what motivates them to learn, and structure my curriculum according to their needs and interests.  As a teacher I can’t ask my students to do assignments or share information if I’m not willing to do it myself.  I will need to set an example by openly communicating and treating everyone with equality, respect and acceptance.  While the teacher should be a supportive presence who provides structure, the students are the focus in the classroom.  I want every student to have a voice in their education and learn in ways that are meaningful to each individual.  The teacher is a vehicle that can be utilized to construct understanding, but the students ultimately determine how to express and derive knowledge from the tools and resources provided.

To ensure that my students are successful and receiving a well-rounded education I will need to provide numerous opportunities for diversified learning.  This includes making my classroom accessible and welcoming to everyone.  Having numerous visual aids throughout the classroom, encouraging healthy “brain food”, providing supplemental materials for those who need extra assistance, promoting self-awareness and creating a safe environment are essential.  This can be manifested with the set-up of my classroom by including different stations based on learning preferences, offering different options for assignments, encouraging student feedback (both positive and negative) and incorporating hands-on activities that will allow the students to create a connection to the material.  These aspects of my classroom endorse the multiple styles of learning and also necessitate the process of learning over the final product.   

Good teachers show a desire to teach, make learning fun, know how to read their students and are flexible.  There are certain qualities that a good teacher will possess and most of them aren’t learned in an MAT program.  I believe a good teacher radiates a desire to teach even on the days when nothing seems to go right.  In these situations, a good teacher rises to the challenge for the betterment of their students.  Their passion for teaching shines into their classroom creating a positive learning environment.  I feel education should reflect the spirit of my students and be designed in an enjoyable yet challenging manner. Teachers should hold their students to a high standard but do so in a realistic way that leaves the students wanting to learn more.  Likewise, it’s important to know who I’m teaching and how they learn best.  Investing time to understand the unique qualities of each student will have long term benefits as I attempt to go deeper in the curriculum and draw connections from my students to the educational materials.  Lastly, it’s important to be flexible and recognize when a situation has the potential for a great lesson.  This may mean temporarily abandoning the lesson I planned, to spark a discussion about a larger more pressing social issue or addressing a conflict that happened in class and sometimes, you have to stop and watercolor.  While it goes without saying that a good teacher will be knowledgeable about the subjects they are teaching, I believe the qualities I presented above are equally important.

I believe it’s easy to teach when you strictly follow the textbook and rely solely on handouts.  It’s easy to teach when you stand in front of the room and lecture rather than integrate student-lead discussions.  I didn’t get into the profession of teaching because I thought it would be easy.  I want to become a teacher to engage students on an academic level and show them how important they are to society.  I will work to make sure that every child experiences success regardless of any physical, emotional or mental limitations they may possess.  My philosophy calls for an interactive, student-oriented classroom that requires learning with the senses and celebrates the unique characteristics of each individual.  Each person brings special talents to the classroom and it’s my job as the teacher, in partnership with the class, to help them cultivate and strengthen these qualities as they begin the process of self-discovery.  Most importantly, my philosophy insists that education is a life-long process that not only honors the individual but also endorses learning through social interactions and real-life examples.