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Week 1 Assignment: Learner Autobiography and Philosophy of EducationJaime SolorzanoITL 600April 11, 2020IntroductionHumans are all presented with opportunities to make choices in life. As a teacher candidate, it is important to take the time to recognize the extent of our decision to become a teacher. Determining the prime motivation is what helps to guide and lead us in the right direction of who we desire to become. When we are able to pinpoint and isolate those factors, we are then more motivated of what we are striving to accomplish. In turn, we are then able to establish our purpose. When we are constantly aware of the factors that motivate us, we are able to fine tune and adjust our perspective and overall determination. Becoming a teacher entails so much more than just providing instruction. It requires dedication and respect. Placing an emphasis on and character building to students is also important. These children will grow up and become the next generation placed in the same position that we all are in currently as teacher candidates. Autobiographical informationI am the product of an older generation. A generation of immigrants from two small countries in Central America who, in the mid-1950’s, came to the United States in pursuit of giving their children the opportunity of a better life. My name is Jaime Andres Solorzano and I am 28 years old. I am second in my family of my own generation to go to college. The process of getting to where I am now was filled with many personal challenges that were like roadblocks, impeding me from reaching my goals. Reflecting on some of the teachers who made a difference. I can wholeheartedly state that they served their purpose of removing some of those roadblocks from my path. School for me was a mixture of emotions and experiences. The social aspect was good but troublesome at times. The actual learning aspect of school was something that I enjoyed. Even when I didn’t always understand I took pleasure in pushing myself to learn and become a more thoughtful person. I am grateful to the teachers that I had that have molded me into the educator I have become and strive to improve in the years to come. ExperiencesI have had many teachers that have played a role into helping me decide what kind of educator I want to become. The time taken to reflect has allowed me to come to the conclusion that teachers and what they do have long-lasting profound impacts on us. Mrs. Beauford, Mrs. McKillop, Mrs. Gaines, Mrs. Smith were all great educators to me. What they contributed in my education is helped mold me. Mr. Chatham and Mrs. Mastrict, while not bad teachers, taught me valuable lessons of how not to treat students. We’ll start with the negative and then move on to the positive. Mr. ChathamMr. Chatham was one of my negative experiences with a teacher. What made my experience with Mr. Chatham negative was when stopped me in the middle of a presentation. I was presenting how to make risotto and had brought a small amount of wine that the recipe called for. Mr. Chatham interrogated me in front of the whole class and then confiscated my materials I was using. I ended up having to go to the office and talk with the principal and this left me feeling confused, nervous, and embarrassed. After that, I felt a change in how Mr. Chatham treated me and in our interactions. It completely changed the rapport we had developed with each other. In the situation I felt that Mr. Chatham only thought only of himself. When he tried to justify why he reacted and did what he did it was all about him as well. He handled the situation very poorly. I believe that teachers need to be sensitive to their students social-emotional needs in the classroom at all times.Mrs. Maastrict Senora Maastrict was my Spanish I teacher in high school. Ms. Maastrict wasn’t passionate enough about the subject she taught or dealing with challenging students. It also seemed as if she did not respect her students very much. While she never had any issues with me or targeted me, I did observe how she was with other students. Something that a teacher should always have is passion and respect regardless of the situation and demographic of the classroom. Mrs. Beauford and Ms. McKillopMy 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Beauford and 4th grade teacher Ms. McKillop always made learning a fun experience and gave us time to let loose and have a little fun. Both would make jokes and play music during class. This time was made time to help us release any stress. They were balanced as well redirecting us when it was time to focus and work.Mrs. GainesMrs. Gaines was my AP writing and composition teacher in my junior year of high school. Mrs. Gaines was incredibly supportive even though my writing was not as strong at the beginning of the school year. She would take time to meet with students and talk after class on how they could improve in their writing. I remember specifically, near the end of the school year, that my writing had improved. It had to have made her feel good, as well as me, that she was responsible for that. Mrs. SmithAnother teacher who stood out in my memory was Mrs. Karen Smith, my AP literature and composition teacher. Her teaching style was very direct and stylized for the course. Mrs. Smith gave her students good constructive criticism on their work. She was open to questions and helped guide you in the right direction. I always was excited to go to her class because I knew that I was going to learn something. I always felt empowered and motivated to improving in her class. She would begin classes with giving us an opportunity to journal and while doing this she would put on movie scores as we wrote. The aspect of playing music while working is something I do to this day and even implement in my own classroom. Survey resultsTaking the Philosophy of Education survey was a wonderful and insightful way to help better determine my philosophy on education. Out of all the categories; essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, and existentialism, I scored the highest on progressivism. Second highest was existentialism followed by social reconstructionism. The results did not surprise me because I believe that the categories progress from an older school of thought and standards to more modern perspective of educational philosophy. Progressivism is based on the foundation that “education should be student-centered, focused on active participation, questioning and experimentation” (Sadaker, M.P. & Sadaker, D.S.,1997). In my opinion, it would be ludicrous to believe that students shouldn’t be placed first when it comes to instruction. My last two areas that I scored higher in were existentialism and social reconstructionism. I felt these two both philosophies blend together from my perspective. Existentialism emphasizes for, “the teacher to create opportunities for students to be self-directed and pursue the development of their individual views, goals, and responsibilities (Sadaker, M.P. & Sadaker, D.S.,1997). While social reconstructionism is based on “highlighting social reform to create a more equitable society” (Sadaker, M.P. & Sadaker, D.S.,1997). That being said, it is important for teachers to create opportunities that pinpoint each individual aspect of both philosophies and create a blend between instruction and practical application. This is feasible based on how some school curricula are designed. Teaching is about building character and helping students become better with themselves and each other. Therefore, teachers must find ways to implement these strategies in the classroom whether at the elementary, middle, or high school level. It just requires for teachers to think outside the box when designing quality instruction.Implications for future teacher practiceWhen considering the results of my Philosophy of Education survey and the experiences with past teachers I feel more directed and confident of my own philosophy of education. Whether my experiences were good or bad, I take something from each of those experiences and use it as an opportunity to develop my own approach to teaching. Mr. Chatham made me realize the importance to be mindful of students’ social emotional needs. Ms. Maastrict showed me the importance to be respectful and passionate about your students Mrs. Beauford and Ms. McKillop taught me to have fun but also stay focused. Mrs. Gaines taught me to make time for your students. Lastly, Mrs. Smith motivated me to strive to always do better and supported me in that. This highlights for me the importance of always supporting and building up my students.Conclusion I am becoming a teacher because school was there for me to help develop me and I want to help in giving students the same experience. Eric T. Moore stated that “I am constantly learning during classroom and student interaction” (Moore, 2015). This embodies my philosophy on education that the teacher can learn how to improve the quality of instruction by being conscious of students needs. My philosophy on education also borrows from the Association of American Educators which state that, “the professional educator strives to create a learning environment that nurtures to fulfillment the potential of all students” (Sharkey, Association of American Educators, 2018). Designing curriculum that is enriching from a social aspect and can be applied in a practical way inside and outside of the classroom sphere is key. We are more than just teachers we are character builders as well. When we focus on students’ needs, encouraging positive social interactions, and their practical application we can contribute to in making the next generation reach their best potential. ReferencesMoore, E. T. (2015, August 7). My Educational Philosophy. Retrieved April 8, 2020, from , M.P. & Sadker, D. S.?(1997). Teachers, schools and society (4th ed., pp. 403-405.)? NY:? McGraw Hill.?Sharkey, C. (n.d.). Association of American Educators. Retrieved April 8, 2020, from ................
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