My Teaching Philosophy

I believe it is my job to make learning relevant to the student. By doing this I will be able to help the student reach their full potential. I believe I can do that through educating, motivating, and inspiring.

I want to have an open and friendly environment in the classroom, where the students are free to share stories/experiences, ask questions, and gain knowledge. I will make my expectations for them clear and I will be consistent with my procedures. I believe that all students are fully capable of learning; however, I know that everyone learns differently. For this reason, I will use a variety of teaching methods. I believe that this will support my goal of active learning in the classroom.

I believe that students who are engaged in their education will be more likely to retain the information given to them. I believe that motivation does not come solely from the teacher though. I think that it also comes from the parents. It is beneficial to me as well as the student to have the parents involved. It is a great way for the parents to take an active role in their child’s education. If we believe in them then they will believe in themselves.

I have learned that a teacher is a role model. I have the ability to influence these students and I will take that responsibility seriously. By showing that I am willing to listen and learn along with them will help them realize that learning continues throughout life. This will create an authentic learning environment. They will have the opportunity to learn not just through me, but with other resources as well. I will show that if I do not have the answer, we can find it together.

I believe that by doing all these things, I can help bring out the best in each student. Through continued education, motivation, and inspiration the student will be able to reach their full potential.

Being a Co-Learner

I believe that as a teacher you must be a life-long learner. We have to be able to relate to the students and make things relevant to them. The only way we can accomplish this is by keeping up with new technology and ideas. I believe that by showing we are making an effort, to learn and to try new things with them, that they will in turn be more open to our ideas. However, this does not just benefit the students. This will help us accomplish goals that we set for ourselves and hopefully prevent us from becoming stagnant, boring teachers. Let's face it, if we are bored teaching, the students will be bored too. I believe that this is a goal that can be attained very easily with a little effort.

Open Environment

I believe that great things can be accomplished when students are allowed to use their creativity. For this reason, I want to have a class that is secure and open, where students feel free to voice their opinions and ideas. I have heard so much lately about "burp back education" and I have realized that I never want a class like that. I think that when students are free to discuss and share ideas they build confidence in themselves. This will allow them to acquire so much more knowledge than the traditional classroom setting. As I said in my teaching philosophy, I am a big advocate for teaching in different styles. I know that not everyone learns in the same way. By having an open environment, I will be able to accomplish my goal of making learning relevant to them. If they are not interested, they will not learn. The whole point is making sure that they are successful learners. We need to be their guide in education and start them on a path to success.

Technology in the Classroom

I have learned so much this semester about how technology is important in a classroom. It has so many possibilities and positive effects on students of all ages. By integrating technology into school we will be able to grab the students attention. They are using technology everyday and I believe it is a great way to make learning relevant. This however, coincides with being a co-learner. We have to be open to learning the new technology. As I have read recently, technology is not going away so we need to accept it and integrate it. I think it could be so much fun to be able to learn and keep up with the ever-changing technology. It can also be extremely helpful outside the classroom by helping to keep the parents involved. Having a class blog/website where they can see what is going on in their child's class will help them feel connected.

My Expectations

I hope to have a class that is confident in their decisions and thinking. I want the students to go home and think about all the lessons we learned during the day and be proud that they accomplished so much. I hope that they are excited to return to school the next day. I want the students to be motivated by their abilities to learn and push themselves more. I hope I can meet their expectations of making school a fun and inviting environment that allows differences to be shared and valued.

Making Connections

I have learned so much this semester about the importance of connections. Not only can connections help you as a teacher with ideas and support, it can also be helpful to your students. Making connections with other students and classes, especially around the world, can help open the eyes of our students to other cultures and ideas. I did Comments4Kids this semester, and I saw so many positive things come from it. We were able to connect to so many students and it was so much fun. I believe this will help make our class diverse and a lot more interesting. I hope to be able to provide my future students with the amazing experience of connecting to so many different people.

Accountability

While I want an open, fun environment in my classroom, I believe the students need to be accountable for their actions. I realize that the classroom is not a perfect place. For this reason, I believe the students should have consequences for their actions, whether they are good or bad. With effective classroom management and positive reinforcement, I will be able to set up a positive environment. I will have posted rules and guidelines that will allow the students to always know how they should be behaving. This will allow me to discipline the students who do not follow the rules. However, students who behave well and always follow directions, need to know that I notice them too. I believe it is extremely important for students to hear when they are doing something great. I hope that by doing this they will gain confidence within themselves.