Teaching is a work of heart. This is a phrase that I have heard over and over again. The phrase itself sums up teaching for me personally. I believe that in the profession of teaching it is 100% heart. There is so much more than just teaching academics. Being a teacher involves many things. Four of them that I believe about teaching are: providing students with a safe emotional environment, remembering as a teacher that not all students learn the same way, creating a positive learning environment, and establishing a good relationship with families. These for me are important because students spend with us more time than they are at home probably. I believe teaching takes a lot of heart, dedication, and time.
First, a safe environment is important because students need to know that in the classroom they are safe from the outside. The word safe itself can mean many things. For example it can mean physically safe, and also emotionally safe. There are many things that we at school do not know that happens in their homes. When they come to school they should be able to know that in the classroom they are safe to voice their own opinions. They should know that they are valued and respected. They can know that they belong in the classroom and not feel like an outsider. Many times at home there are students that their parents do not ask them how their day was, or how they are doing. Creating a safe environment entails many things. For example when they fall down and scrape their knee they can count on their teacher to comfort them. They can know that their teacher will put a band-aid on their knee and tell them that it will be okay. When they come to school in the morning crying because something happened at home, I will hug them and wipe their tears. When students see that in their classroom, in their own space, and be sure that they are loved and taken care of, that is when you are able to form a strong bond with the student. I believe that as teachers we can and should create for them a safe and loving environment.
The second thing I believe is important about teaching is, remembering that not all students learn the same way. What I mean is that by standing in front of the class and talking about the lesson will not be enough. I have to make modifications to the lesson as needed. Maybe that day the lesson plan will not be carried out the way I had planned it, and In have to remember that the students are more important than the lesson, and there will be times that I will make last minute changes because I will see a student struggling. Each student is unique and therefore might learn differently than their peers. There are students that are visual learners and other students might be verbal learners only. This means that as the teacher says the instructions or by writing them on the board the student will quickly know what to do. They might need a drawing of the math problem they are working on. Some students might need more time than others when being taught a new lesson. As a teacher I believe it is important for me to recognize this and be able to create a lesson plan that benefits all students in my class. Teachers know that not every student comes in the classroom knowing everything. It is my responsibility as a future educator to be able to tailor to the needs of my students to ensure their success in my classroom. And even though the students in the class will come from different backgrounds, and different cultures, they all deserve the same access to a good education.
The third thing I find important is, creating a positive learning environment is important. One way could be by holding a group discussion about a book where students can share with the group their thoughts and be able to hear their peers voice. By doing this they will hear a very different opinion of the book. Students will see that it is okay for everyone to think differently because that is what makes us unique. When this is done students will learn to appreciate the fact that we are all different and as stated before that is what makes us unique. By creating a positive learning environment, I will be demonstrating that every student in the class will learn something. This will be done by me setting up the classroom with related work stations, and having related anchor charts for reference, etc. The work stations will be where they can work in small groups which will help emphasize learning and social skills. This will help students become more engaged and provide them with peer interactions and self teaching moments also. As a result, students will become aware of the importance they hold in the classroom. They will know that it is important to work as a team. By having a positive learning environment in the classroom children will be happy to come to school and be excited about learning.
Lastly, I believe that it is important to establish a bond with them from the beginning of school to ensure a successful school year. Families are important to the school therefore communication between families and teachers is extremely important. Parents have the right to know how their child is developing academically. And what teacher does not love being able to depend and work with parents. Knowing that he or she can count on parents is a great feeling. The teacher will feel strong and like they are part of a team. We must work together and work for the same goal, which is to make sure the students are successful. By establishing a good relationship with the families of students the teacher is able to provide them with ideas and suggestions to further help their child at home. When students see the involvement of their families they will feel cared for, loved and acknowledged. Students will be able to see that their hard work at school is being valued. When parents are involved their child have a higher chance to succeed. This is because parent involvement means that for example someone at home will make sure the student is reading fifteen minutes a day for example. They will also make sure that the student does their homework. The academic learning will then extend from the classroom to home. The lesson is being reinforced by doing the homework and helping them develop strategies.
In conclusion there are a lot of beliefs, values and standards that I believe are important to teach. With time I am sure my view of teaching will change. We have to adapt to new changes, and be realistic about the challenges students face each day. And although I know schools cannot single handedly ‘fix’ all of society’s problems, I realize the power schools and education hold and the difference it can make.I as a teacher can do my part. I am not perfect, I am human and so are the students. I do not pretend to know everything about teaching, because I still have so much to learn. These things I mentioned are ones I do know are important for teaching. Nevertheless we can learn together. I will not waver from the belief that education can make a great difference in a child’s life. saying that I try my best each day at school to be a positive role model for my students and provide them with the best educational environment possible to the best of my ability. I have to be there to care for them, love them, protect them, and educate them. At times it is not easy and I have to never give up and keep trying. Even when it seems like things are going wrong, I know that tomorrow is a new day and I can start over again. But the beliefs mentioned are ones that I hold dear. As a teacher there are values and standards to uphold. In the future I would like to abide by these, and help my students in the best way I can.