Revised Personal Teaching Philosophy



Revised Personal Teaching Philosophy

Carmen Barreiro

Marygrove College

Personal Teaching Philosophy

My personal philosophy of education is to educate students and inspire them to become a lifetime learners and leaders through positive reinforcement and guidance. Through developmental appropriate practices and a safe learning environment, I hope to build strong and meaningful foundations and relationships between students, colleagues, and families in the community.

I must also meet the needs of all students and be able to adapt in any situation in the classroom. Since the world of education itself continues to change, so will my teaching philosophy continue to change along with the strategies I use to fully meet my student’s needs. Riel (2008) stated, “Teachers who employ adaptive expertise, engage in a process of progressive problem-solving that enables them to continually learn from practice” (Riel, p. 400). It is my responsibility as an educator to continue to adapt and improve my instruction in order to meet the needs of all my students. Our students learning can never outdo the quality of our teaching. I whole heartedly believe in the process of adaptation and can see the potential it has for me and my future students. Zander referenced in his video Shining Eyes, “Who am I being that my children’s eyes are not shining?” As an effective teacher I value the importance of seeing success in the faces of the student I teach. I believe in celebrating and praising these successes but also teaching in a way that fosters and motivates students. As a teacher I must continue to teach, model, ask questions and reteach so that my students can get the most from my teaching.

I believe another effective quality I can have as a teacher is the ability to reflect on my teaching and by using data to drive my instruction. Once I determine exactly where my students are at, then I can more specifically adapt my instruction to meet their needs, I can create in depth learning by allowing alternative paths for my students to reach the same objectives. It is extremely important to set clear expectations for students and by modeling and involving students in the learning process. I must continue to create multiple forms of assessment and various assignments to display student knowledge. I also must implement technology into my philosophy. Using technology in the curriculum will help me tremendously and it is a necessary way to impact my students and “develop a narrative that sustains learning for the 21st Century” (Learning to Change-Changing to Learn, 2008).

Another importance is parental involvement. Engaging parents in the educational process is essential to the academic success of our students. Danielson (2006) stated “Some educators forget that parents, having raised their children from infancy, know them well and can contribute to the school’s efforts on behalf of student learning.” (p.49). Nowadays, parental involvement is not only extremely important, it is necessary to ensure a healthy and successful school environment. Parental involvement is beneficial to the school, parents, and children. Children learn early language, communication and socialization skills from their parents. Parents are their first teachers, know their children best, and have valuable insight and information to share with teachers. Both teachers and parents want children to reach their full potential as learners. This is another reason why parental involvement is a crucial element in a successful school. It enhances children’s education and fosters student achievement. The benefits of parent involvement are numerous. When parents get involved in the classroom they send a valuable message to their children and they show that they

As a young child, I always had an ambition of becoming an inspirational teacher. Throughout the years, my teaching experiences have significantly matured and broaden in many different aspects. I was fortunate to work with wonderful educators in various grades whom have geared me towards becoming a positive, motivating and caring leader. “Teacher leaders are in a unique position to make change happen. They are close to the ground and have the knowledge and ability to control the conditions for teaching and learning in schools and classrooms,” (Lieberman & Miller, 2004, p.12). Like my fellow colleagues, I now have the opportunity to have a positive change on other educators and even students.

At an early age, I was raised to be respectful to social, economic and political issues around me. My parents were always positive role models whom always encouraged me to succeed and become the best person I can be. They were always involved in my education and always guided me in the right direction.

My philosophy influences me inside and outside of the classroom in many ways. I am always aware of the various attitudes and culture systems within a classroom. I continue to build positive, trusting relationships with students, colleagues and families. Respect is extremely important and reinforced inside and outside the classroom. “The major challenge of school is ensuring that all students attain the skills, knowledge, and disposition they will need to successful in the world that awaits them” (Lieberman & Miller, 2004, p.6). Like the author, I also agree that the next generation of students should be aware and be ready for the challenges and success that they will encounter.

According to the survey results, I am a participative and delegative leader. In my classroom, I create opportunities for my students to participate in the decision making process in order to make them feel like an integral part of the learning community. For example: they are able to choose their classroom jobs based on their interests, students are given several topics when choosing writing tasks, and also have some flexibility when it comes to art or free reading activities in the classroom. I also give students the opportunity to become leaders in the classroom. “Just give yourselves over to the leaders sitting next to you. You will get the support you need” (Zander and Zander, 2009, p. 10). As we can see from this example, anyone can be a leader. Students have the opportunity to help one another with a difficult task, as well as teachers helping their colleagues. By having students act as teachers, or leaders, they discover the sense of self worth that comes from helping others.

In conclusion, I continue to be a motivator and positive role model to my colleagues and students. As I reflect on my teaching philosophy, there are many factors that play a part in providing a quality education to students. I hope to use the resources available to me to provide a structured, yet enriching environment in which my students can communicate, discover, and explore. In the video, “Becoming a Blessing: Living as if your Life Makes a Difference,” Dr. Remens, shows us that “you can become a blessing and you can bless the life around you.” My goal is simply to be a blessing to my students and give them the resources and skills necessary for them to learn.

References

Danielson, Charlotte. (2006). Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Learning to change-changing to learn. (2008, May). Retrieved from

Lieberman, A., & Miller, L. (2004). Teacher leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Remens, R. N. (2006). “Becoming a blessing: Living as if your life makes a difference. Available

from

Riel, M., & Becker, J. (2008). Chapter 4.6: Characteristics of teacher leaders for

information and communication technology. In The Handbook on IT in Primary and

Secondary Education. Retrieved from

teacher-leadership-tech.pdf

Zander, R., & Zander, B. (2009). The art of possibility: transforming professional and personal

life. (1st ed., p. 10). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

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