Educational Philosophy Statement
Teaching is a complex idea and job. I cringe when I hear people say “Anyone can teach” because teaching is more than standing in front of students and lecturing. It’s about taking into consideration the students; thinking about how students will learn, knowing what they need to learn, and figuring out the best possible way to get the students to where they need to be.
When I started taking education classes and preparing to go out into the workforce as a teacher, I felt teaching goes beyond the content I want my students to learn. I believe students are always watching their teachers learning how to act and behave. So yes, I am teaching students the content, but I am also helping them learn how to be an adult, how to communicate with those around them, and most importantly, how to accomplish their goals they set. How they accomplish this can be done through different mediums I use in my classroom from pencil and paper to Chromebooks and the technology that is out there. I am preparing them to move on to whatever comes next for them whether it’s college, tech school, or the workforce.
Another part of teaching for me is allowing students to discover learning with my guidance. I am there to show students what they are capable of and to push them to not only meet my expectations but to smash through those expectations I have set. We have all heard the saying about the “light bulb coming on” but I not only want students’ light bulbs to come on, I want them to turn on every possible light bulb they have and eventually find new ways to create light from what they are learning. The light bulb is just the beginning.