My Philosophy on Teaching
I have always
been fascinated with one’s ability to influence another and I believe there is
no other influential or effective way to do this than teaching. Before I even
began my journey to becoming a teacher I had this idea in my head about what it
means to be a teacher and was sure I had it all figured out. However, nothing
has prepared me more for understanding what teaching is all about, than my
experience this past semester at West Windsor Plainsboro High School North. As a
teacher I want to develop self-reliant thinkers both within and beyond the
classroom. I will find the best ways in which my students learn,
individually or collectively, and then cultivate a classroom environment that is
maximally conducive those ends.
The school is arguably about more
than just academic education. As the major civil institute in children's lives,
it has a responsibility to guide their development into well-adjusted,
independent, and successful adults. Schooling should be socially just, so
that students’ outcomes from schooling are free from the effects of
discrimination based on sex, language, culture, ethnicity, religion or
disability; and of differences arising from students’ socio-economic background
or geographic location. Schooling should develop fully the talents and
capacities of all students so that upon graduating each student has the
capacity to exercise judgment and responsibility in matters of morality, ethics
and social justice, as well as the capacity to make sense of their world, to
make informed decisions about their own lives, and to accept responsibility for
their own actions.
As a teacher, I see myself as a
model who can help stimulate enthusiasm in my subject of interest. By
showing my love of biology I hope I can
arouse the intellectual curiosity that I know
resides within my students. I believe that many students have learned to be
passive; whether from our society or from their poor experiences in the
classroom. But, at the same time, I believe there is a basic human curiosity
within all students, and it is my job to inspire and bring this out this
curiosity. If one of my students asks a question that I don’t know the
answer to, I will go find the answer and bring it back to class, with an
explanation of how and where I found it and what that knowledge adds to our
discussion. I will in turn, encourage them always to do the same, and when they
see the product of even such small endeavors, they will hopefully begin to find
ways to satisfy their intellectual curiosity on their own.
When I recall my own most productive
and interesting experiences as a student I realize that my success stemmed from
my own enthusiasm with the material. From this I see that
my students’
success depends more on their level of engagement than on my own. If I stand
in front of the classroom and only play the role of the expert, the key to all
knowledge on the subject, my students will become complacent and dependent.
Therefore, I want a classroom in which I do less of the talking than my students
do. I will seek not only to tell but also to show them that education is an
active experience, one that will only have meaning if they take responsibility
for their own learning. I believe that my classes should include plenty of
discussion, group exploration, and chances for students to interact with each
other. I will encourage them to ask questions not only of me but also of
themselves, and most importantly I will try to teach them always to look for
more than one possible answer.
As a teacher of biology, I feel this
philosophy will lend itself well to the scientific nature of the ideas and
concepts that I will be teaching in my class. In the science community, it is
almost impossible for something to be accepted as a fact, and all scientific
theories undergo constant reevaluation and review. Bringing this into the
classroom will model to my students that they should not just blindly accept
everything presented to them. Science provides the perfect example of how and
why questioning ideas, both their own and somebody else’s, is an important part
of daily life. In my classroom they will develop and practice the ability to
critically analyze all ideas and situations that they find themselves presented
with in all areas of their life.
One of the foundational components of
biology is survival of the fittest. While most people perceive “the fittest” as
the strongest, this is a very popular misconception. In the profession of
teaching, the most fit are the most adaptive to change. In teaching,
adaptability is crucial and regular self-evaluation is necessary to confront new
challenges in the classroom. My most important role will always be as a student
of the universe. I will share in the learning journey with my students, as I
have as much to learn from them as they do from me.
The relationship between teacher and
student should not be limited to the traditional roles of teachers as deliverers
of information and students as recipients, but rather as a two-way exchange.
Teachers should learn about who their students are, as well as how they learn in
order to better inform their personal beliefs about teaching. Communication is
one of the most important factors in the student-teacher relationship, in order
to allow for the richest learning experience possible. This type of relationship
with the student will result in a much more receptive class. If I take great
interest in my students, then they will in turn take the same level of interest
in what I have to offer them in the classroom.
Assessment of student knowledge
should require students to apply their acquired knowledge and skills to a task
that can be evaluated to determine how well material was understood. The purpose
of assessment is to display an understanding, and teachers should be the most
concerned with student progress and comprehension, not comparison among
students or classes. I also believe that students should be continually engaged
in a self-evaluation process, and that the process by which they achieved their
goal is just as important as their product.
Biology is something that we are all
exposed to everyday and acquainting the student with this is one of my goals. As
a teacher my goal is also to develop individuals that have the qualities of
self-confidence, optimism, high self-esteem, and a commitment to personal
excellence as a basis for their potential life roles as family, community and
workforce members. Ultimately, my job as a teacher is rather ironic; it is
to make myself unnecessary. I want my students to reach an intellectual place
where they can become the self-reliant thinkers that I mentioned before. Yes, I
want them to succeed in my class, but more importantly, I want them to succeed
beyond it.
