Teaching Philosophy
Brook Parsons
EDU 527
Teaching Philosophy
There have been many
different events in my life that have led me to becoming a teacher.
Education has always been my top priority.
I have always viewed education as the great equalizer; education
can help you achieve your dreams.
Education has always been a huge part of my life, and it is the
one thing that I can never seem to get enough of. As one Latin proverb
states: “By learning you will teach; by teaching you will understand.”
As an educator I know the importance of always seeking out additional
knowledge, and through my experiences and gained insights I will be able
to educate and guide my students. I know that my philosophy of education
will evolve over time as I mature and grow in the profession, however my
dedication to inspire and encourage future generations will remain
constant.
I have always been an over-achiever in school.
My passion will carry over into teaching students.
I now realize that not all students will have share the same
level of commitment to education that I had.
My goal as a teacher is to encourage students to discover who
they are and what makes them happy.
I plan to reach this goal by maintaining a safe classroom
environment and incorporating a variety of creative activities to appeal
to the Multiple Intelligences, as defined by Gardner.
I believe in order to reach all students and truly engage them in
the course material I need to offer a variety of assignments and
projects that cater to different learning styles.
I believe that students will excel when given options that appeal
to them. Students need to
have input in their learning as well.
When students have choices they feel more in control and will
take more pride in their work because it is what “they choose to do.”
I want my students to learn the course content but I also want to
develop their critical thinking skills.
I want my students to not only learn in my classroom, but find
meaning in what they are learning.
I want my students to be able to use what they have learned and
apply it in their daily lives.
My lesson plans will emphasize critical thinking and real world
applications of the concepts and facts taught.
I want to present the course material in ways that my students
will be able integrate into their own lives. I hope to accomplish this
by providing more hands on, class participation rather than lectures.
I also plan to incorporate service learning projects into my
curriculum. I believe that
service learning helps students apply their classroom knowledge to
everyday life while gaining awareness of the needs in their community.
I believe this will help students develop into civically
responsible adults. Technology
plays a huge role in student’s everyday lives. I believe it is only
natural to use technology to my advantage in the classroom.
I will allow students to use iPods, cell phones, internet, and
other software to help make the material relevant and interesting.
In order to have a classroom in which students feel comfortable and
confident in asking questions and offering opinions it is 100% necessary
to establish a safe and secure environment.
All students (regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion,
cultural, or background) opinions will be welcomed and encouraged.
Students will learn to use logic and reason to develop their
positions and counter positions.
Students will learn to be active listeners.
Middle school and high school are times of self discovery.
Charles Cooley’s “looking glass self” is what many students are
facing. They are identifying
themselves through how others view them.
If a student is teased or mocked when asking a question they will
be more likely to not ask questions in the future.
I will not tolerate any forms of bullying or inappropriate
language in my classroom.
During the first month of school I will incorporate different “get to
know you” activities. I
believe it is best for students to find something they have in common to
build a relationship upon. I
would also like to start my school year with a lesson on bullying from
the Teaching Tolerance website.
This will help students identify what bullying can look like in a
classroom and the negative effects it can have on a person and the
classroom learning environment.
I know that the first two weeks of school set the tone for the
entire year. Therefore, I
will clearly explain what I expect in my classroom and what the students
can expect from me. My main
tool for discipline comes from, “Discipline with Purpose” by Paula Lenz
and Barbara Vasiloff. I will
have short list of rules created and enforced but my main goal will be
to teach my students self-discipline, a skill that will benefit them for
the rest of their life.
Students will learn that they have the ability to wait, restrain, and
maintain self control. As
Theodore Roosevelt said: “With self discipline most anything is
possible.”
Above all I want to motivate and encourage students to discover
what they love and what they are capable of.
I would like the opportunity to teach in a low income, urban
school. I myself attended a
low income school and feel I could serve as a role model and cheerleader
for students that find themselves in similar situations as I did.
I believe that all people are capable of extraordinary things;
it’s just a matter of unlocking their talent and providing them a
support system.