Teaching
Philosophy
Key Words:
I believe that every person defines what role,
whether large or small, education will take in their own lives. For me,
on the most basic level,
school should be
a place where people come to learn, but more importantly where
they develop a
love of
learning.
Human beings can learn at least one new piece of information a day, and
if they develop a love for learning early enough, then just imagine how
many new things they will strive
to learn each day. Ideally, every student would come to school simply
for the love of learning, but this is often not the case.
Students do not walk into the classroom as blank slates, and some have
rarely experienced the opportunity to facilitate their own learning,
which is what I believe develops that desire to learn. I cannot,
however, worry so much about what they have or have not done in previous
classes. What I must concern myself with is what they know and will do
right here and now in my room. Placing blame on previous teachers or the
students themselves helps no one. Focus on the present is what students
need, and direct instruction has its place within the classroom just as
student-centered instruction does. A balance of both, however, is what I
believe is necessary not only to facilitate successful learning but
also, and perhaps more importantly, to develop the love of learning.
My content area, English, is ever expanding and
growing because so many different types and forms of literature exist,
and people never stop writing. I feel that this diversity and perpetuity
are both an English class’s greatest strengths and weaknesses.
In my discipline,
there exists a
canon or a core list of literary works that
scholars believe all students should read. To
some extent, I agree with this. I believe that students should not
graduate high school without having read at least five of Shakespeare’s
plays and The Iliad
and The Odyssey.
These are some of the most famous and valued works of literature, which
are referenced in numerous modern day works (whether novels, magazines,
newspaper articles, television, or movies). At the same time, however, I
believe the literature that students read follows too narrow of a scope.
There is not enough diversity and multi-culturalism, which is something
that I hope to change in my future classrooms.
While I believe that certain works are necessary for a student to read,
I also feel that students should read texts that explore or relate to
issues and current events that are affecting them. English classes
should be a forum for discussing such ideas because somehow, someway,
and in every culture, these matters find their way into literature.
Literature devoted to controversial issues also helps student to
experience all sides and opinions rather than just their own, which
allows them to develop a broader perspective and in some cases, change
their minds for the better.
While students should participate in scholarly study, I also think that
English classes should show students that they can read and write for
fun and their own enjoyment. I do not want them to only read the novels
that we read in class, but others that truly interest and affect them.
Creative writing, in my opinion, is also one of the most important units
that English teachers can have in their curriculum. Students need to be
able to express themselves, and creative writing exposes them to new
methods of doing so.
Beyond my content area, education has the responsibility of preparing
students for life outside of school, and when I say this, I do not
necessarily refer to vocational schools that train students in a
specific trade. Rather, education should prepare students by helping
them develop the necessary social skills and communication skills that
they will need in their every day lives. School also allows students to
develop a work ethic and learn how to dedicate themselves to
accomplishing goals. It is this that will prepare students for the
workforce later on in life.
For me, teachers have many roles in this type of
education, so it is difficult to decide which is most essential. If I
had to choose, it would be that of a mentor because I feel that “mentor”
best summarizes all that a teacher does in a school. Mentors guide
people in learning new information and exposing them to different ideas,
but they are also a friend who gives counsel and advice in times of
need. Mentors facilitate the learning of necessary skills for a certain
field, but also for life in general, which is a large part of what
teachers do in school every day. Basically, mentors prepare those around
them for the time when they will not have any help and must be on their
own. I
believe that at its core, this is what teaching really is--preparing
students
for that time when there is no teacher, no parents,
just them.
Teachers must, however, develop a respectful relationship with their
students to facilitate this method of learning. I understand that the
relationship between teacher and students is a very delicate one that is
difficult to establish and hard to maintain. The smallest mistake can
destroy the balance that a class has worked weeks to create. This
relationship must start with respect and trust on both sides, which are
not the two easiest things to gain from another person. I want my
students to feel comfortable coming to me if they have a problem, need
help, or just want to talk. I want, probably more than anything else,
for my classroom to be a haven for my students. When students feel
secure in a classroom, they will take greater chances with their
learning and be unafraid to try new experiences, which is what learning
is all about—the willingness to attempt something new.
I expect great things from my future students, and I have not even met
them yet. I believe that
expectation
really drives a person’s performance. If a person knows that you think
they are capable of remarkable accomplishments, then they will strive to
do those things because they know that someone believes in them. I want
the best from students and nothing less, and they will know this on the
first day, in the middle of the school year, and all the way at the end.
Some students do not believe in themselves, do not believe they are
capable of any more than doing just enough to get by, and I refuse to be
another teacher that confirms this belief for them. They may not expect
much from themselves, but I will, even if I am the only one to do so.
While I expect the best, I know that the best is different for every
person. I have no intention of lowering any of my expectations, but I
believe that assessments, to some extent, must be different for every
student. Everyone does not develop and learn at the same rate that
others do. Assessments must be individualized on some level, which is
why I believe that students should have a role in assessing their
progress throughout the year in terms of portfolio assignments. At the
end of each marking period, students should turn in a collective project
of what they believe to be their greatest work in that particular
marking period, and then they would also do it at the very end of the
year. Allowing them to do this gets students really thinking about the
work that they have done, what they have learned, and their strengths
and weakness, which will be an essential metacognitive skill as it
teaches them to reflect on their own decisions to make better ones for
the future.
I have said much about what I feel about teaching in these pages, but I do not feel that I will ever be able to successfully capture in words my true feelings about teaching. The thought of being a teacher both terrifies and exhilarates me because I realize the possible impact that I could have on many students lives, and that is a heavy weight to bear. To think that I could be teaching future Nobel Peace Prize Winners, senators, astronauts, and teachers floors me every time that the thought comes into my mind. This past semester has helped me to realize that teaching touches every part and facet of human life, and to know that I will be a part of that one day soon, I mean, what more could a person ask for in their future. I want to be great at it; I want to be those teachers that students come back and visit years after they graduate; I want to be that teacher that pushes and expects a lot from everyone. As much as I want to be “that” teacher, however, more than anything else, I want to be me as a teacher. This semester has helped me to discover who that is.