Teaching Philosophy

The purpose of school and education is not only to teach academia but also to inspire a natural love for learning among children and youth. However, children and youth cannot develop a natural love for learning if their teacher does not build caring relationships with them. I will build caring relationships with students by demonstrating my enthusiasm and dedication to getting to know them. Understanding who you are teaching and the different personalities in your classroom are equally important to knowing your teaching content. Getting to know your students also builds the framework for an inclusive classroom. Often, teachers raised in this neoliberal education system all hold an implicit bias; they judge the world through the dominant culture's norms. This impacts the way teachers communicate in their classrooms and deliver content. For effective communication in the classroom, teachers must develop content that resonates with all students and their differences, inform themselves and teach through the lenses of different cultures (Catt et al., 2007). However, this can never occur if teachers do not take the time to get to know their students. In turn, teachers cannot build trusting relationships with their students if they remain unconscious of their implicit bias.

​

As a teacher, I aim to foster an environment where children and youth feel comfortable exploring the skills of collaboration, autonomy, critical thinking, and adaptability through activities that I scaffold for them. Children will not be open to taking the risk of being autonomous or sharing their critical thoughts if they feel that I, the teacher, am their enemy. I will ensure that I create an environment that allows children to develop the abovementioned skills by demonstrating that I am their loyal partner in their learning career. I will be open about my learning process with students and remind them that I am still learning and make mistakes. When making those mistakes, I will openly discuss them with my students and remind them that failure is normal and part of the learning process. My classroom will be based on the principles of equity: I will provide activities that resonate with each student and foster these critical skills. However, it is unrealistic to say that I can amend the curriculum to meet the needs to each student. Therefore, I will discuss and provide as much one-on-one time with each student as needed to ensure they can explore content and their identity. I will encourage and help students to construct a learning plan that best resonates with them. This will occur by providing students with several essay prompts or incorporating various forms of intelligence in the classroom. For instance, if we are discussing the solar system, I can offer students several alternatives for studying, such as creating a song about the planets (musical intelligence), drawing and labeling the solar system (artistic intelligence), or calculating the circumference of each planet (mathematical intelligence) (Catt et al., 2007).

​

However, I do not want this "student-first" approach to be confused with an approach that is all permissive. Contrary to my beliefs prior to my field experience, setting rules and disciplining students does not make one a mean teacher. Therefore, I will develop classroom expectations with the help of my students. My classroom must not be overwhelmed by chaos, as true learning and growth cannot occur in a chaotic space filled with distractions or disrespect. It is unrealistic to say that I will never raise my voice at students. However, I will ensure that I remain respectful and do my best to remain calm. When disciplining students, I will ensure that I am not criticizing the child nor penalizing them but rather correcting their inappropriate behavior. I will do my best to put myself in the student's shoes and understand the root cause of their behavior. The key component in correcting inappropriate behavior is remaining open-minded and understanding of the student's emotions. This will allow me to educate their hearts and develop relationships with them, allowing the students and myself to carry shared knowledge throughout our whole lives. 

 

In summary, education stems from the heart, as solely educating the mind results in impermanent knowledge. 

​

​

Reference

Catt, S., Miller, D., & Schallenkamp, K. (2007). You are the key: Communicate for learning Effectiveness, 369–377. 

​

                           (this article inspired me to view education from a different perspective, one that does not base itself strictly on                                    academia, but on the large role the teacher plays on the students lives)