My Teaching Philosophy
In a classroom full of twenty-eight students, one might assume that twenty-eight minds are present to be molded. However, this would be denying the possibility of the teacher's mind being shaped in the classroom as well. In a classroom, my main role is facilitator. I am not the dominant, all-knowing individual in the room, nor am I the “savior” for my students. As a teacher, it is vital to facilitate learning and become a learner myself.
I am present in order to serve as a guiding and supporting hand in the learning process. The classroom I teach in is an open space for learners to cultivate and invent. Thus, I must design and facilitate this space accordingly. Especially with young English language learners, I believe it is important to be as patient as possible. According to research, a silent period is sometimes needed in an ELL’s learning. Thus, I do not force my students to speak using any kind of retribution. Instead, I wait until they are ready and comfortable enough to do so. This way, I learn more about their motivation and personalities, as well as how effective my teaching styles are.
In order to create an open-learning space, I manipulate the metaphysical atmosphere. To do so, I present myself by being as enthusiastic as I am able to. I am aware that I will have bad days; however, I do not allow this to affect my presentation in class. I want my students to feel motivated to learn. Presenting materials in an engaging way can also motivate students. Thus, I present units by breaking them down into various, interactive activities tailored to the students environment.
Each day, I will facilitate activities that allow much room for student output. These activities include, but are not limited to: reading and sharing, discussing, writing, and creating. During these activities, I will constantly remind students to share their thoughts. It is their minds that tell me what to teach and how to teach. It could be so that a child is feeling frustrated over an activity and he or she is not participating. Thus, it is my job to discover why he or she is not engaged, and to find a resolution. Learning is a huge privilege; therefore, no student should be left in the dust all due to a bad day.
As stated before, I am a leaner in my teaching career as well. There are constant new findings in research; thus, I must be open to new ideas in order to better serve my students. As a teacher, I will constantly attend conferences and read articles based on research. This is because I want to provide the best service I can.
Overall, I strive to provide the best learning environment for my students. It is my objective to support students in their journey to autonomy.
I am present in order to serve as a guiding and supporting hand in the learning process. The classroom I teach in is an open space for learners to cultivate and invent. Thus, I must design and facilitate this space accordingly. Especially with young English language learners, I believe it is important to be as patient as possible. According to research, a silent period is sometimes needed in an ELL’s learning. Thus, I do not force my students to speak using any kind of retribution. Instead, I wait until they are ready and comfortable enough to do so. This way, I learn more about their motivation and personalities, as well as how effective my teaching styles are.
In order to create an open-learning space, I manipulate the metaphysical atmosphere. To do so, I present myself by being as enthusiastic as I am able to. I am aware that I will have bad days; however, I do not allow this to affect my presentation in class. I want my students to feel motivated to learn. Presenting materials in an engaging way can also motivate students. Thus, I present units by breaking them down into various, interactive activities tailored to the students environment.
Each day, I will facilitate activities that allow much room for student output. These activities include, but are not limited to: reading and sharing, discussing, writing, and creating. During these activities, I will constantly remind students to share their thoughts. It is their minds that tell me what to teach and how to teach. It could be so that a child is feeling frustrated over an activity and he or she is not participating. Thus, it is my job to discover why he or she is not engaged, and to find a resolution. Learning is a huge privilege; therefore, no student should be left in the dust all due to a bad day.
As stated before, I am a leaner in my teaching career as well. There are constant new findings in research; thus, I must be open to new ideas in order to better serve my students. As a teacher, I will constantly attend conferences and read articles based on research. This is because I want to provide the best service I can.
Overall, I strive to provide the best learning environment for my students. It is my objective to support students in their journey to autonomy.