I believe that all children have unique learning needs and strengths and as an educator I must be able to help every child succeed. My role in the classroom is to provide an engaging and accepting environment for all my students so they can feel welcome. I want to provide purposeful education that makes content relevant for students as well as incorporate different learning styles to accommodate all learners. I believe that a strong teaching philosophy rests on the pillars of communication, trust, and engagement. These qualities are relevant for student and teacher, as open communication leads to better understanding of objectives and content. Trust through teaching builds lasting bonds that help students feel confident in asking their teacher for support in all aspects of the classroom. To me, an engaging classroom means creating an environment where the students demonstrate an interest in what they are being taught and are willing to further explore different topics and become passionate learners. I want to encourage my students to be motivated, excited to learn, and I hope that they look forward to coming to class.
Creating an engaging learning environment is core to my teaching philosophy. My goals as an educator include striving to create strong relationships with my students and ultimately making the classroom an environment where students feel they can interact with one another and feel accepted. I would like all students to feel comfortable enough to approach me about any issues they may be having. Additionally, I hope to create a space where students feel comfortable sharing with their peers in group discussions and create strong bonds with one another. I believe emphasizing the use of group work and discussion in a classroom can benefit students and help them create stronger social skills. In addition, group discussions, both in small groups and as a class, are crucial for students to develop critical thinking skills. I believe that learning has taken place when students can interact with material and be able to explain what they have learned to a teacher, other students as well as a parent or guardian. As an educator, using this method ensures that I know where my students are at in terms of their understanding and gives me the opportunity to make the changes necessary to ensure all students grasp the material. This allows me to recognize whether or not I am an effective teacher to all my students.
In addition, I hope to create a classroom environment where the teacher’s role is to guide the students, and ultimately allow students to direct their own learning. I believe that my students should have a say in what is being taught and that they should be allowed to further explore what interests them. Classrooms centered around hands-on environments allow students to develop various skills and become more inquisitive people overall. Furthermore, by accommodating all learners and incorporating various learning styles we can ensure all students grasp material and get immersed in the curriculum. By recognizing that not all students learn the same way, and many have various strengths, I will be able to provide my students with a more individualized learning plan.
I believe that as a teacher, I am always a learner and this belief strongly inspires me to be a better teacher. I believe that everyday you teach, you can learn something new such as what works and what does not work for your students in terms of how lessons are structured, as course material is delivered, as well as what instructional strategies might be used. As a teacher, I think it is very important to prioritize professional development opportunities to advance your teaching methods and further assist your students. I want all students to succeed and to grow as learners. By continuously educating myself, I am in the best position to provide all my students with the best possible learning environment to succeed.