My Philosophy of Education
Debbie Wilson
Teaching young minds is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. It is full of challenges, frustrations, and responsibilities. However, it is also full of excitement, wonder, and joy. I strongly believe that all children are capable of learning, if they have the proper motivation and direction from their teachers. My role in student learning is to be aware of learning, motivation, behavior, and development theories in order to relate to my students at their level. Then I will be able to help them to reach their full potential and find success in their own lives. It is my duty to see that all my students are being motivated. They deserve my time and full attention in regards to their education. I believe that learning takes place in a classroom that is a safe learning environment. This classroom environment needs to include positive emotional, physical, or social aspects for all students. It is important to me that my students, as well as their parents, other teachers, administrators, and people in the community, see me as someone they can approach, who will be fair and nondiscriminatory. Classroom organization is a key concept to consider when teaching. Management of the classroom includes having a well-designed and engaging lesson, addressing behavior issues quickly and wisely, and voicing expectations at the beginning, to all students, which allows everyone knowing what is expected. I will find ways to use different learning strategies in as many classes as possible. I also believe in teaching content that is meaningful, applicable, and inviting to students. If they do not see the point of the subject matter, then they will not be interested in it. The student is the center of learning in the classroom. I believe that high energy levels, built friendships and a positive attitude from the teacher are key elements to a successful learning environment.
Role of the Teacher
The role of the teacher in our education system takes on many forms. Teachers are leaders in roles to support school and student success. These roles include collaborator, instructional and curriculum specialist, classroom support, school leader, coaching extracurricular, counselor, a surrogate parent, a friend and example to my students. Teachers collaborate with their colleagues by sharing instructional resources. These might include the latest web sites, instructional materials, readings, or other resources to use with students. They might also share such professional resources as articles, books, lesson or unit plans, and assessment tools. As a teacher, I need to be an instructional specialist. This includes implementing effective teaching strategies, which reflects in ideas for differentiating instruction or planning lessons in partnership with fellow teachers. A continual study of appropriate research-based classroom strategies will provide ongoing improvements in my classroom. One role I strive to fill is that of a learner. I can model learning as a continual journey of improvement, set an example that models a guide of lifelong learning, and use what I have learned to help all students achieve success. The most important role I can fill as a teacher involves interacting with students. Teachers must be leaders in the classroom and in the school, earning the respect of students and setting a positive example. As a teacher, I must be a disciplinarian, doling out fair and consistent punishments to students who break the rules. At the same time, I must show care and concern for all students. I will have the power to build up or tear down a student's self-esteem and make a student's day or ruin it in an instant. When interacting with students, I will have the best interests of every child at heart.
Curriculum
The curriculum that is set out by the province, Alberta Education, is designed to provide a high quality learning experience for students. I see this curriculum as being well-rounded and comprehensive for student’s education. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for the future, including lifelong learning and for the world or work setting they may wish to explore. I will continue to make real life applications of the curriculum in order to keep students engaged and making connections with the curriculum.
Methodology
In my planning for educational experiences, I will identify the level of cognitive processing of students according to Bloom’s taxonomy. I will start with the least sophisticated level of processing, that being the recall of knowledge and facts, and progresses to the highest level, thinking that involves evaluative processes. I will incorporate some direct instruction with question and answers and discussion. I like to use mental modeling in discussions. This is a powerful technique that is on a high cognitive level. It allows students to get engaged and take ownership of their learning. It provides them with immediate opportunities to apply what they have learned and explain their own mental models aloud to help clarify the process for them and allows me to assess their understanding at that moment. Discovery and inquiry methods in the classroom are my favorite. I find science is a great content area, which allows for students to discover and inquire about the many directions that science can take them. A chief strength of the inquiry approach is that it can integrate the curriculum by involving many disciplines in meaningful ways. I like to start with me at the beginning of a lesson or unit as the director and then change to an emphasis on students doing the main part of thinking and discussing in the classroom. Students are investigating academic topics and ultimately asking their own questions, which leads to finding ways to seek answers and solve problems. This builds education as a process that develops lifelong learners. A lesson plan may begin with a question-and-answer session that stimulates student interest and thinking and then proceed to a discovery-learning experience that will be followed by a discussion of what was learned. It is important to me to understand that teaching is a task that requires considerable instructional flexibility.
Assessments
The process of documenting usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skill, and attitudes must be done in a formative and summative approach. Today in society many work related positions use individual and group collaboration to succeed in the work force. This is why assessment must focus on both the individual and group collaboration learning. Formative assessment is used throughout the lesson and course or project in order to aid learning. In my classroom, formative assessment will include feedback on a student's work and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes. Formative assessments can take the form of diagnostic, standardized tests, quizzes, or oral questions. Formative assessments will be carried out concurrently with instructions. The result may count. The formative assessments aim to see if the students are understanding the instruction before doing a summative assessment. Summative assessments will be carried out at the end of a course or project. In my lessons, summative assessments are typically used to assign students a course grade for evaluative purposes. The summative assessments are made to summarize what the students have learned, to know if they understand well. This type of assessment is graded and counts, it can be in the forms of tests, final exams, and projects. These assessments are important because they decide if the student will pass or fail the class. Diagnostic assessment will be used in the situations where students have difficulties during the learning process. These students will need identification to plan their programming according to their individual challenges. The goals I have for assessment include three practices to make learning effective. One practice, I will show the criteria of the evaluation before the test. Second practice, I will use a pre-assessment to know what the skill levels of a student are before giving instructions. Third practice, I will give a lot of specific feedback and encouragement to each student.
Classroom Management
Classroom management has a large effect on student success. This makes my classroom important, since I will balance between my actions to provide a clear consequence for unacceptable behavior and my actions that recognize and reward acceptable behavior. As a mother I can see that fair is not always equal for my children, yet they all know my expectations and that I will follow through on the agreed upon consequences when those expectations are not followed. This is my position on classroom management as well. I will establish clear rules and procedures and provide consequences for student behavior consistently. I will address misbehavior from an external position with a firm normal classroom voice, avoid any display of emotions with a neutral nonjudgmental position, and listen to legitimate explanations. The single most important detail to classroom management is the quality of teacher-student relationships. I will strive to build high-quality relationships with my students, which will lead to students with desire to follow the rules. The fewer discipline problems and rule violations will follow as respect and mutual understanding due to our built friendship. We will recognize each of us as important to the other. Relationships take time to build. The use of classroom meetings is the beginning of building these relationships. The first meeting will have myself and the students agree upon rules to promote learning in the classroom. Follow up meetings will facilitate the maintaining of the classroom rules or adjustments as needed over the course of the year.
Function of the School
The function of the school is to develop an all-around balanced student. Through the many experiences a student experiences in school, they are to find success in their hidden potential and develop them in a socially, emotionally, and physically acceptable way. The school conserves the valuable culture, tradition, values of the society and helps in promoting and developing these with a positive and enlightened frame of mind. Our schools need to reflect the changes in our society. Canadian society is a melting pot of culture. Our schools will be increase in value with all students learning and finding acceptance in the many cultures around them. The school is a place of learning and developing knowledge to assist in student’s daily lives in our society.
I challenge myself to bring creativity into the classroom. Creativity and creative thought has several elements: motivation and self-awareness, flexible and original thinking, the tendency to take risks and ask questions, and the ability to imagine not just an alternative solution to a problem but a workable, achievable result. In the science classroom this is key to creating scientists. Time is the largest constraint for a teacher. The most valuable way to spend time is being personally committed and knowing each student. By making a personal connection in as many students lives as possible, will make a difference. I tend to organize and prepare in some of my time, which is essential for starting down the right path. This helps with making great lesson plans. The best part is putting these lesson plans into action. The impact I can have on students, can create success in each one of their lives. The continued journey for students will then need time. I will keep clear goals during that journey, in order to make a larger difference in students’ lives. The results will be in students being prepared to find success once they enter into society.