My teaching philosophy
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Children have a natural curiosity about the world around them. My role, as a teacher, is to nurture this curiosity and guide them toward the desire to learn more. When entering the classroom, children bring an abundance of knowledge with them. According to Piaget, children actively construct ideas about the world around them based on their ability to think abstractly, idealistically, and logically. This thinking becomes more refined as children get older and move through the four stages of cognitive development. I believe that children do construct ideas from what they observe and explore in their environments based on what they already know. However, I also believe that in addition to an individual’s active exploration, social interactions play a large part in children’s learning. As Vygotsky claims, children act within the zone of proximal development where knowledge is fostered with others’ help. Children benefit from scaffolding provided by both adults and peers in order to reach the point where they can ultimately accomplish a task on their own. Even with this assistance, children are constructing their own knowledge by making connections. As a teacher, I strive to provide multiple opportunities for my students to explore and construct ideas while also providing them with enough support to make these constructions possible.
It is my responsibility to cultivate children’s academic and social growth by engaging them in meaningful and relevant experiences (e.g., providing appropriate materials and activities that are within their capability, but push their learning) in a safe environment, while fostering students’ individual strengths and self-discipline. I will also strive to encourage all students to achieve high personal goals so each student is challenged to reach his or her potential. This will not only facilitate the attainment of knowledge, but also motivate students to have the drive to learn throughout their future. The differentiated instructional programs in my classroom, like leveled readers, Daily 5, and peer tutoring, will help stimulate the development of all students and aim to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to meeting the individual needs of all students. I place a great emphasis on employing a variety of instructional strategies to enhance creativity and critical thinking skills to ultimately increase students’ academic success. I believe in Gardener’s multiple intelligences theory that claims that students may excel in different areas and therefore learn from different approaches. Furthermore, when possible, it is important to present material in visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic ways including logical, interactive, and musical integration to reach all students. Engaging students in meaningful hands-on experiences, cooperative learning, and interdisciplinary units make students active learners. Certainly not to be overlooked is the importance of using innovative techniques to enhance learning through technology, without losing sight of traditional, researched-based methods of learning.
Programs, resources, techniques, and technologies would make little difference if we lose sight of the well-being of the children. Success in the classroom is in large part achieved by promoting positive self-esteem, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish, encourage, and sustain cooperative home, school, and community efforts in order to maintain an effective classroom environment where all students can learn. By creating a learning atmosphere in which differences are acknowledged and respected, students can benefit from a climate of cultural diversity, which, in turn, will increase their appreciation of different people. I believe that it takes parents, staff, and a community to help students become well-rounded and responsible individuals. A partnership must be formed between the teacher and the families for the child to reach his or her full potential, as a child’s learning does not stop when he or she leaves the classroom.
It is my responsibility to cultivate children’s academic and social growth by engaging them in meaningful and relevant experiences (e.g., providing appropriate materials and activities that are within their capability, but push their learning) in a safe environment, while fostering students’ individual strengths and self-discipline. I will also strive to encourage all students to achieve high personal goals so each student is challenged to reach his or her potential. This will not only facilitate the attainment of knowledge, but also motivate students to have the drive to learn throughout their future. The differentiated instructional programs in my classroom, like leveled readers, Daily 5, and peer tutoring, will help stimulate the development of all students and aim to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to meeting the individual needs of all students. I place a great emphasis on employing a variety of instructional strategies to enhance creativity and critical thinking skills to ultimately increase students’ academic success. I believe in Gardener’s multiple intelligences theory that claims that students may excel in different areas and therefore learn from different approaches. Furthermore, when possible, it is important to present material in visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic ways including logical, interactive, and musical integration to reach all students. Engaging students in meaningful hands-on experiences, cooperative learning, and interdisciplinary units make students active learners. Certainly not to be overlooked is the importance of using innovative techniques to enhance learning through technology, without losing sight of traditional, researched-based methods of learning.
Programs, resources, techniques, and technologies would make little difference if we lose sight of the well-being of the children. Success in the classroom is in large part achieved by promoting positive self-esteem, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish, encourage, and sustain cooperative home, school, and community efforts in order to maintain an effective classroom environment where all students can learn. By creating a learning atmosphere in which differences are acknowledged and respected, students can benefit from a climate of cultural diversity, which, in turn, will increase their appreciation of different people. I believe that it takes parents, staff, and a community to help students become well-rounded and responsible individuals. A partnership must be formed between the teacher and the families for the child to reach his or her full potential, as a child’s learning does not stop when he or she leaves the classroom.