Teaching Philosophy

Andria's Teaching Philosophy

What are my beliefs about the nature of learners?
I believe every child is capable of learning and growing. I believe children learn from everything and everyone they come in contact with, teachers, peers, family and the community.  I believe that teachers learn just as much from students as students learn from teachers. There are all types of learners including visual, auditory and kinesthetic.

My role as a teacher?

I love children and always have.  I enjoy watching children learn and that ‘Ahh Haa moment’ when a child really understands something they may have struggled with in the past. For me to see a child learn and grow is very fulfilling and rewarding. I believe teachers need to provide materials and curricula that reach all three learning styles which are hands on, kinesthetic and auditory learners. What I want to bring to the classroom is discipline, equality, fairness, understanding, encouragement, consistency, structured independence, patience and kindness. That is what I feel is the most important with children. As a teacher I want to reach every student with more guiding and less lecturing. I will value the children’s differences and help them to value each other’s as well. I want to help children grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. I want to teach children good morals and values, while respecting and encouraging the ones they may have at home. I want to teach every child that they are special to the class, that they bring something unique and believe in them, which will help them believe in themselves. I believe teachers need a lot of time for observation and planning. As a teacher I will evaluate my teaching strategies and be open to change. I know teaching is a continual learning and growing process. Just as much as I teach my students, I will be learning just as much from them.  Like the love of learning I have, I want to instill a love of learning in each child that I teach. I want to teach children that life is an educational setting, and help them learn tolerance and patience through a cooperative learning and living environment. I want to be a good teacher that challenges my students, inspires them, nourishes there curiosity and shows children that teaching is an act of love. I want to be an advisor to students; motivating them and helping them manage their education. I want to get to know my students family, coaches of my students, mentors and anyone else that is part of my student’s life. I believe we should all  work collaboratively to create a little community to support children.

Role of schools?

 

I believe the roles of schools are very similar to the roles of teachers but expanded upon. I believe schools should provide a safe learning environment for students, where parents and society feel comfortable attending. I believe schools need to encourage character education and interpersonal skills whenever possible. I feel schools need to let teachers take a more active role in what they are teaching the students. I also believe schools should set up time where teachers can converse and plan with other teachers. I believe schools need to encourage as much community and parental involvement as they can. I belle the school is the heart of social change and individual development. Schools are a mini society for children where they learn how to act and interact to become members of the larger society. I believe that Teachers, educators, administrators, and parents need to work together in an informal manner to provide students with a caring learning environment and an interlocking support system that addresses their moral, physical, psychological, social, and academic needs. The school is the best social institution for children to learn to be good citizens. John Dewey believed that “if schools were anchored in the whole child, in the social, intellectual, emotional and physical development of a child, teaching would be different”. The technique this teaching requires involves “learning by doing, exercising a child’s body as well as their mind, and venturing out of the classroom to explore the world around them”. I completely agree with Johns philosophy and believe I would do this in my classroom as well.

What is knowledge and what is worth knowing?

Knowledge is everything.  Knowledge is facts, information, and skills acquired by a student through experience or education. Knowledge is the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Knowledge is also awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. I don’t think one type of knowledge is better than another. Education helps children learn to lead healthy, happy, successful lives. I believe that education should help children develop and internalize concepts that will help them to survive in the rapidly changing world of the present and future. I believe that education provides meaningful experiences that help children think, solve problems, communicate ideas, and develop an interest in improving themselves. I also believe that moral character is very important and worth knowing. This moral character would include Awareness, Values, Reasoning, Decision-making, Self-knowledge, Self-esteem, Empathy, Loving the good, Self-control, Citizenship, Good discipline, and good learning habits.  I believe that anything a child leans and can benefit from is worth knowing.  

What is the purpose of education?

I believe the goals of education should emphasize not only academic achievement, but also to develop and create character education, which is necessary in order to be good and responsible citizens. The book ‘Wasting Minds’ by Ronald  Wolk states “Education should be one system, seamless and integrated, and this way a student would progress through it without the jarring transitions.” I believe this means the purpose of education is to interlock everything together including, parents, coaches, councilors, community and for everyone in the child’s life to work together collaboratively.  I believe education should prepare students to succeed in the classroom and later in the workplace. I believe education should help students become well-informed and thoughtful citizens, and allow them to participate and appreciate a broad spectrum of cultural activities. I  believe “To help students prepare to be successful and productive adults and lifelong learners, they need to develop good habits of mind and behavior. Students of today need to learn how to reason, gather information, organize it logically, evaluate it and use it effectively.”(Wolk) Education has to engage students in meaningful work, helping the student seek answers to THEIR questions. The purpose of education is to teach children how to become adults who lead interesting, responsible, and productive lives, and that involves everyone!

Where do content and skills fit in?

I believe the hidden curriculum is as much, if not more, important to children’s futures as the stated, written curriculum. I completely agree with the quote in the book 'Wasting Minds' by Ronald Wolk, where he says, “Schools provide individual learning plans for special needs students because they are ‘different’; well every student is different and deserves an individual learning plan.” I believe content and curriculum should be personalized for each student depending on their unique skills and motivations.