I. Educational Philosophy
I believe that it is important for
a teacher to…
-recognize each student’s
individual needs, interests, and talents
I believe that an effective teacher is one who
discovers the best way to facilitate learning for each student, and who does so in a manner that stimulates in the learner
not only an interest and excitement about the topic at hand, but also about learning in general. In order for the teacher to know how each student learns best, the teacher must be a learner him/herself,
which means understanding each student’s family background, native language, cultural behaviors, interests, educational
background, and any other clues that will help him/herself to become familiar with each student as a more complete person. Only after the teacher knows the reasons why each student acts the way he or she acts
on a daily basis, can the teacher begin to devise the most effective methods of instruction for each individual student.
Also, knowing about a child's cultural or language background allows a teacher to use this information to develop culturally
relevant lessons.
-use a variety of instructional
methods
All learners have strengths and weaknesses, but
everyone has their own mixture of learning styles. I think it is important to
constantly strive to vary my lesson plans so that I can integrate ways in which all students, with their various learning
styles, are able to succeed. This way, the majority of students will stay interested
and will be able to effectively learn for the majority of class time. Teachers
must also be aware of language and cultural differences, and be able to spread this awareness and understanding throughout
the classroom. I try to instill the idea in my students that our world is not
only what we are used to seeing, but it is very different for each person. I
want my students to have global sense of the environment around them, because I believe this is something that is very important
to cultivate at an early age. If it starts early in a person, they will be able
to realize differences in people and places throughout their entire life, leading them through a life of appreciation for
and understanding of others. I also realize that many students come to the classroom
with learning disabilities and other special needs, and I can vary my lessons in ways that will benefit these students as
much as those without disabilities. Students begin the school year on many different
levels, and I can keep them interested by structuring reading levels, math methods, etc. to benefit learners on different
levels.
-continually grow as an educator
There are unlimited amounts of resources available
for teachers to learn and grow, a concept we spend so much time instilling in our students that often times, teachers feel
they do not have enough time to further their own education. This is a priority for me as a professional educator, because
only when teachers have learned the best and most applicable teaching methods can they really serve as the best teacher they
can be. I have completed the TESA training, ERSI (Emergent Reading Strategies
Institute) course, Guided Readers and Writers course, and I plan to complete the masters in CIMM (Curriculum and Instruction in
Multilingual and Multicultural education) in Fall 2007 in order to be better prepared to serve the ESOL population in
my class. I plan to continue my professional development and find this an integral
part of being a teacher.
-create a classroom community...
It is important to remember
that children develop physically, cognitively, and also socially. Many social
interactions and relationships that people experience, no matter how small they seem at the time, end up to be life-changing. Students learn from each other and from their environment just as much as they do
from teacher-contrived lessons. Developing socially as children has a large impact
on who we are as adults. That is why I like to be sure that students have adequate
class time for cooperative learning, whether it is by allowing students to work on group projects, holding class or group
discussions, roundtable sessions, or by facilitating peers simply helping and teaching their peers. It is crucial to harness positivism, open-mindedness, creativity, kindness, and respect in children, and
teach them to expect this from themselves and all others in our classroom. I
believe that my classroom is a place where all students feel comfortable expressing themselves as individuals. When a child feels free to open up to a teacher and to the class and push his/her own personal boundaries
in order to further the learning process, I can then feel satisfied that my classroom environment is conducive to the children’s
personal growth.
…and foster a positive
learning environment to motivate students to learn
In summary, I strive to be a teacher who trusts
and is trusted, who respects and is respected by all students in my class so that personal expression is appreciated and present
at all times. I want each of my students to feel special, unique, creative, energized,
and loved by the community we create together. With these positive qualities
present in my classroom, I feel that within our community, both my students and I constantly work to be the best individuals
we can be.