Philosophy of Teaching PDF

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Philosophy of Teaching Teaching is important to me because these students are the future. As one generation moves on another one takes its place. Somebody taught me these skills of life and now it’s my turn to return the favor by teaching the kids of today. One of the most important things I believe as an educator is that all students can learn. Students come from different backgrounds and all students learn in their own way. As an educator, it is my duty and privilege to seek out the best way for each individual student to learn. Some students are high level, some are lower, some learn best with movement, others learn best visually. Every student is unique. According to an article on Edutopia written by Larry Leverett, “All children can learn…by varying instructional approaches to match the learning styles of students, differentiating instruction, providing access to high-quality preschool programs, consistently exposing students to high-quality instruction, generating support from families and communities, and consistently scaling up implementation of bestpractice instructional strategies and approaches in all classrooms and in all content areas (Leverett, 2006).” Many people agree with this statement and I believe if I go into the classroom knowing all students can learn no matter what background or disability they have, I will always strive to be the best I can for each one of them. I want all my students to be motivated to try their hardest and do their best. I want to instill in them the belief that they can do anything they set their mind to. I want them to know that it might not happen right away but with lots of determination, practice, and never giving up, they will succeed at whatever they’re doing. In order to achieve this, I will have to make sure my lessons are meaningful and meet the goals and objectives that are planned. Aside from just direct instruction, I will provide opportunity for hands-on learning and student-centered instruction. Not only will I be teaching them, but I want them to know that they are capable of teaching each other as well.

The assessing never ends. I don’t believe a student’s success can be measured based on one final assessment. I will always be assessing my students from the start of the lesson to the final assessment. I can assess students by using different questioning strategies during instruction, I can use worksheets and activities to assess my students during independent practice, I can assess my students by walking around the classroom and listening to them during group discussions or partner work. Like I said, the assessing never ends. If I am doing any of these things and I notice misconceptions or misunderstanding, I can stop right there and help. I also believe students can assess themselves before, during, and after instruction. I can implement KWL charts so the students can decide how they’re doing as well. Relationships with all parties are so important as an educator. First and foremost, building relationships with my students is a must. I learned from other teachers that if you have a challenging student, you should find a connection with that student so you can always go back to that one thing. Find hobbies or favorites that you have in common. It will make such a difference if I have a special connection with each student in my classroom. These students are going to be with me for many hours a week. They will become my second family. I believe establishing a relationship with each one will be beneficial with classroom management in the future because they would know that I care even if they are being disciplined. Parental involvement can be a great thing. Some parents want to be a part of their child’s education and some don’t but I believe I should reach out to all the parents of my students and build relationships with them as well. By involving them with things going on in the class, they will feel respected and as a teacher of their children that is exactly what should be done. Building relationships with colleagues is also beneficial. As a first year teacher, I’m going to be overwhelmed I’m sure but I’ll feel a lot better knowing I have veteran teachers around. They are there to provide support and help me when I’m totally lost.

Reference Leverett, L. (2006, September 05). Closing the Achievement Gap: "All Children Can Learn". Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/closing-achievement-gap...