To begin, I want to state that I am an educator who is still learning. This means as I grow, I know that my educational philosophy can and will be updated and change.
When I think about teachers, I believe that we are always learning, whether it is from our students, collaborating with other teachers, or researching and reflecting on our teaching style. There are always new innovations and new ideas in education, so teachers need to be continuously learning and updating our practices. Because teachers are always learning, I feel that we should be ready and willing to be challenged and proved wrong. I would encourage students to intelligently question the material and question why we learn it. Lastly, teachers are role models for the next generation of citizens. It is important that we act as role models, are responsible, and have a positive influence on each students lives.
Being in secondary education, I feel that teachers need to teach with a sense of humor. This makes the classroom a much more comfortable place, as well as it helps students respect and accept the teacher. This will help students engage in their learning and be more willing to learn from you. This also brings rise to having a welcoming classroom. Creating a safe space for students to be themselves is very important. How can I expect to connect with my students and teach using their interests, if they do not feel comfortable in my classroom? Connecting makes them want to learn, so this is important for not only the student, but also for me as a teacher.
When it comes to students, specifically secondary students, I believe that one needs to give respect to the students in order to earn their respect. They are young adults who are allowed to question things, including your authority in the classroom. This just means that respect is even more important. They are gaining responsibility and autonomy at this age, so they should be given the opportunity to have these qualities, opinions, and independent thinking. They should not be treated as young children, because they are young adults who are capable. This means understanding that they have responsibilities in school and consequences to their actions. Although they are gaining independence, students cannot do this on their own. An important part of being a teacher is providing students with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
As a future math teacher, I strive to educate students so that they achieve a relational understand of the content, rather than just an instrumental understanding. I want to have life-long learners who can connect to content and enjoy learning. Relational understanding is a big part of this goal. This can be achieved by using a mix of “traditional” and “modern” teaching techniques for mathematics. That being said, I want to teach using a mix of practice assignments and quizzes, as well as inquiry based problems and projects to help students engage more with the material and hopefully create a more relational understanding of math. This will help students understand topics in their own terms, and hopefully find a love for mathematics.
I think my educational philosophy is not yet set. As I grow and learn more I will be able to fully understand what my teaching philosophy is. For now most of what I believe about teaching comes from my family. My mother and my oldest sister are both teachers and I have learned much of what I believe from them, my coop teacher, and from my ECS professors.
I believe that teaching is not just a 9 to 3:30 job. It is much more. We are learning to become educators who have the passion to teach others and help others grow. I think the classroom is a space where all students should be accepted and safe space for learning. Teachers have a responsibility and a connection with their students. As a teacher we are the people who shape the future citizens of our society. So, we have a responsibility to make sure we shape them into the citizens we want in our society.
I BELIEVE IN…
- Inclusive education
- Valuing every students perspectives and opinions
- Hard work pays off
- Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed
- Making learning fun
- Innovation in the classroom
- Every Child Matters
- Hands on Learning
- Building meaningful relationships
- A classroom should be a safe space for all students
- One to one learning
- decision making through democracy and consensus
- Every student learns differently
- sports teach important skills that might not be taught in the classroom