My Philosophy of Teaching

Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." 
-Rachel Carson

This quote resonates because I see teaching as an opportunity to not only help children acquire knowledge, but to inspire students to approach learning enthusiastically throughout their lives.  As I have gained experience teaching, I have established three core beliefs.  First, each student has the right to be challenged.  I strongly believe my job as a teacher includes encouraging students to set high standards for themselves, assisting them in reaching these goals, and celebrating their effort and accomplishments.  Secondly, the classroom community needs to be a place where students feel safe and supported.  I have found that a nurturing environment is conducive to learning.  Although I play a large role in the creation and preservation of the community, I must instill in my students respect and caring for their peers.  When every member of the class participates with the goal of community success, a safe environment will prosper.  Lastly, unique educational experiences must be created.  I am a high energy teacher who thrives on creating innovative educational experiences for my students on a daily basis.  I have arrived at the conclusion that creativity in teaching both enriches learning and curiosity in students.  Packaging content in a variety of ways creates a positive anticipatory and participatory classroom atmosphere.

Challenge every student:

"A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Every student deserves to feel challenged academically.  All students should be provided with demanding, yet developmentally appropriate curriculum.  In doing so, each child will be given the opportunity to reach their full potential.  I have noticed that high achieving students tend to complain about boredom.  I remember having similar feelings at the age of fifteen when I lost interest in history.  I realize now my curiosity was not stimulated by the curriculum.  On the other hand, I observed situations where difficult curriculum was out of reach for some learners because educators taught to the average ability level in their class due to lack of time and other demands.  Although I too have felt this pressure, I am conscious of my students' abilities in terms of individual and curricular goals and create adaptations and extensions for each lesson that account for all learners.  The Book Report Activity highlights how I differentiated instruction to meet students' needs and challenge them to reach their academic potential.

High expectations must be set and maintained, because each child is entitled to and capable of academic success.  Students enter school at different developmental stages and bring with them diverse cultural experiences which may include the additional challenge of learning English.  Each student's background and ability influence the high standards I establish for them. 

Establish and maintain a supportive classroom community:

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
-Henry B. Adams

As an educator, I teach not only academics, but values as well.  It is important each student is recognized as a vital member of the classroom community with unique talents and ideas to share.  For this dynamic to succeed, students must respect, value, and help each other learn by establishing a safe place where all feel comfortable taking risks in the presence of their teacher and peers.  Expectations must be developed with students from the first day to begin cultivating a nurturing environment.  I believe students are more likely to adhere to the rules if they are involved in their formation.  Telling students what is required of them is less effective than allowing them to take ownership of their classroom, explain how they want to be treated, and decide what expectations need to be in place for them to feel safe, respected, and valued.  It is essential to revisit expectations as needed to ensure they are maintained.  I model appropriate behavior for students and provide feedback on their actions so they are aware of what is expected of them.  I have found that creating a community more conducive to learning results in greater knowledge acquisition and increased self-esteem.  When peers support each other, the atmosphere of the classroom improves as well as the quality of education. 

Expectations must not be an entity that exists only within the classroom, but should be supported by the school, parents, and community.  The principal and other staff members' consistent backing on expectations is important to ensure that students are held to the same standards both in and out of the classroom.  I strongly believe the classroom community can benefit from including the greater community in academic endeavors.  Whenever possible, I try to involve parents and other community resources in classroom activities.  One example was when I arranged for a pair of county Emergency Medical Technicians to come to our class to teach the students about safety and community helpers.  Their contribution to our week-long health unit provided valuable hands-on experience. 

In addition, it is advantageous to work with teachers both at the same and other grade levels to arrange joint learning experiences.  While student teaching, I worked with a 4^th/5^th grade teacher to arrange reading/math buddies every other week.  This experience benefited my kindergarten students by giving them the opportunity to practice new reading and math skills with the help of older role models.  The 4^th/5^th graders benefited from the opportunity to read books aloud and explain their mathematical understanding.  All the children appreciated the positive effects of incorporating the school community into classroom work.

Enrich learning and curiosity through creativity:
"The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards."

-Anatole France

The method of instruction should be varied to stimulate teaching and learning and make them dynamic.  Daily schedules should follow a routine for consistency, but individual lessons should be unique in both content and format.  I often try innovative methods of instruction because I believe teaching material in creative ways engages students and enriches learning.  Differentiation of lesson structure provides a way to accommodate for a variety of learning styles.  I believe teaching and learning should be interactive to allow students to dynamically participate in knowledge acquisition.  In my classroom, peers interact with one another while learning to develop a richer gamut of knowledge.  Adapting my instruction allows for these valuable learning experiences to occur.

I believe teachers do students a disservice when they always conduct lessons in a habitual format.  As a teacher, it is important I continue to learn and bring in new content and style to the classroom by packaging the core curriculum in a variety of ways.  A stagnant classroom, void of variation is not fun for the teacher or learners.  When the class saw how excited I became about a topic, it seemed to spark their curiosity.  I enjoy creating an energetic space for learning with a constant air of anticipation.  Through modeling creativity, students learn the value of uniqueness.  Since creativity in both teaching and learning are important to me, I provide opportunities for my students to experiment with their own distinctive ideas in writing and other content areas which foster excitement in learning.

To determine conducive methods of instruction, it is important I continually reflect upon what did and did not work in lessons.  Student engagement and achievement of learning goals are evaluated for overall effectiveness.  My instruction is guided by the results of these formal and informal assessments which take into account the likes and needs of the students.  I find it refreshing and beneficial for both teaching and learning to apply a variety of instructional approaches.  By reflecting on my teaching I refine my instructional strategies and improve my effectiveness as an educator.

In closing, I desire to uphold my three core beliefs about teaching and learning, by continuing to refine them as I further my teaching career.  As I venture into this noble profession I look forward to inspiring each child I have the pleasure of teaching.  I will continue to challenge students and help them realize their potential.  I will continue to establish and maintain a supportive classroom community each year.  And finally, I will continue to enrich learning and curiosity through creativity.