My Philosophy of Teaching
Teaching is a daunting task that I do not intend to take lightly. Becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for several years. I always knew that teaching would be the career for me, especially when I began working in the school system as a substitute secretary. I loved working in the school environment; coming in contact with children everyday made me realize how much I would enjoy teaching a classroom full of students.
Teachers play such an important role in a child’s life, sometimes being their only source of encouragement and support. As a teacher, I want to know my students – their personality, learning style, and academic level, so I can meet their needs and create the best learning
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I want to be a constructivist teacher by actively involving students in real situations, focusing on students’ perceptions and points of view, and most importantly, valuing the process of thought in my students rather than on the answer or product. I want my classroom to be an active place with many opportunities for discovery and experimentation, a place where I can be a fellow learner instead of merely a fact giver.
It is difficult for me to determine what philosophy of education I am leaning toward. I believe that I will develop my philosophy through experience – learning what works with students and what doesn’t work with students. However, I agree with many of the Essentialist goals and practices. The American educator William Bagley originally popularized the term essentialism as an educational philosophy in the 1930’s. The philosophy itself had been the dominant approach to education in America from the beginnings of American history but began to be criticized as being too rigid to prepare students adequately for adult life. The 1983 report from the President’s Commission on Excellence in Education entitled “A Nation at Risk,” mirrors essentialist concerns today, revealing the need to get back to practicing the positive aspects of Essentialism philosophy in America’s classrooms.
I believe the aim of education is to teach the young the essentials they need to live well in the modern world. To realize this
I feel that the goal of education is to open up a world of possibilities for learners. The purpose of education is to show someone that they have the ability to do and be whomever they want to. Education is simply there for bettering oneself and one’s world.
Education is defined as the lifelong process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values through either formal means, such as schooling, or informal means, such as firsthand experiences or vicarious experiences gained through reading books or discussions. Every person that is or wants to be a teacher has his or her own educational philosophy. We all have our own views, methods, and curriculum that we were taught when growing up. A lot of people may have the same teachers in school, but all of them learn different things from that teacher.
Education entails individual human development in the cognitive, emotional, creative and social areas. All children are entitled to a free education regardless of race, cultural background or handicaps. For education to be an effective part of the students life, the student and teacher must be actively and enthusiastically involved in learning. A teacher needs to be well prepared and organized. They need to know the perspective goals for each student and ways to achieve these goals. Teachers need to work with students to help them grow and develop ways to use their knowledge.
Children see the world in a different light than anyone else. They also learn differently than each other. I also believe that teachers need to differentiate instruction and build in adaptations so that children will understand the concept. Classroom management is also key in how children learn. The environment must be comfortable and promote learning. Assessment will also be used daily so that student progress is recorded. The instruction can be adapted to fit the students’ progress in order to meet their goals. I will have individual goals for students so that they can all be challenged but able to scaffold and build off of prior knowledge.
I believe that teaching is one of the most important professions in the world today. From the very beginning, until present time, teaching has been around. The book of Genesis speaks of God walking and talking with Adam in The Garden of Eden, God was teaching Adam. I will be proud to, one day, be a part of this great calling.
My own personal journey through my education and reflection as a student studying, teaching, and learning has shaped by beliefs in the way I learn and the way I want to teach. My personal teaching philosophy consists of several teaching philosophies. It is a mix of progressivism and existentialism. I believe in progressivism, I believe the concept that students should be provided with learning experiences that are dynamic and teach using hands-on approach. I think when a student is learning about a subject that interests them and is relevant to them, learning is improved. Lessons should boost curiosity and be thought provoking. Although, funding in some school makes this difficult due to lack of materials, teachers should attempt to improvise
My personal teaching philosophy is to empower students with knowledge and skills through democratic teaching methods. The “man-making” aspect of education is pivotal to me. Teaching for me is a two-way process of learning. A few things that I would strive to achieve as a teacher are a positive approach, fair play, care and concern for students and respect for individuals. I am a full time teacher at MiddletonMurray, a training provider, which delivers training and employment services.
Personal Philosophy of Teaching Learning takes place on a daily basis from reading a newspaper article to helping children with homework. Learning opportunities are all around us, but we need to be ready to accept those opportunities as they present themselves. My goal, as an educator, is to present opportunities for my students to learn and gain knowledge to be successful not only in their career, but also in life. I believe everyone learns differently and at his or her own pace.
I believe that education extends far beyond the classroom walls, and involves many more people than students and teachers. People should be learning wherever they go, and should continue learning long after they’ve graduated from high school or college. Education isn’t something that can be quantified with tests or report cards, but is instead something that people carry with them. It’s a survival pack for life, and some people are better equipped in certain areas than in others. People with a solid education are prepared for nearly anything, as they will be able to provide for their own physical, emotional, and aesthetic needs.
I want to know my students. This way I can tailor my teaching methods to the specific needs of my students and class. This is also helpful in resolving discipline problems, which I anticipate to be few and far between. I will do everything in my power to resolve problems within my classroom, using the principal’s office and the administration as a last resort. Students respect a teacher who respects them in return. This approach allows a teacher to get to the heart of a student’s problems without involving outside forces that may alienate the child.
In the field of education there could arise many philosophical ideas of each individual teacher. Many of the past philosophies have been and still are used in today’s education programs, such as the Socratic method. My philosophy will also contain some of the many philosophies of the past and possibly the future. I will state the nature of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of public education, method, and curriculum according to my own philosophies, which also may be based the philosophical ideas of previous individuals.
As a teacher, I believe that I play a crucial role in the success of every learning process. To guarantee that learning will take place, I make sure to create a learning environment that is relevant to the students’ background. Throughout my teaching experience, I learned how to love my students,
The aim of education is the systematic process where an adult or child acquires knowledge, skills and understandings. Education is also to guide and enhance children into people which can contribute to society. All activities within education, in the fields of either Science, Mathematics or
“Essentialism is core knowledge that students need to be educated citizens where the teacher plays as the central figure in the classroom, transferring their knowledge to students” (Koch 2011). Essentialists believe students
The overarching aim of education is to fill students with knowledge enabling them to grow both mentally and socially to carry on a successful life. Students need to be taught critical thinking strategies to use when handling difficult situations. Students should have fundamental background knowledge in multiple areas. Students should be prepared for work, post-secondary education or whatever path the student takes after graduating.