I believe that each and every student is capable of being a successful learner, and that it is my job as a teacher to unlock that potential in my students. An education is one of the most valuable possessions any person can have, and I want my students to learn to appreciate this fact rather than trudging through school simply because the state requires their attendance. For this reason, I strive to make my classes engaging to them as 21st century learners and to make them relevant to their lives outside of school. In order to do this, I must know my content and my students. I must consider their needs as individual learners, as well as their situations outside of school within the community.
I believe that engagement is crucial in any classroom. Students who are engaged are an active part of the learning process and, as such, are much more likely to retain the material than students who take a passive role in their education. It is important to me that students have the chance to lead in the classroom, have group discussions, and collaborate as both teachers and learners. My students work together to solve problems, decode texts, create meaning, and apply old skills to new situations. I feel that, because collaboration and working as an effective part of a team is an essential real-world skill, it is a skill that teachers should take the time to foster and build.
I also believe that students will appreciate their education more if they can see its usefulness in their lives outside of school, whether present or future. I try to incorporate in my classroom a number of activities that prepare students for life after high-school, and to teach not just the language content, but broader skills such as perseverance and problem solving that will serve them in their endeavors outside of school. While my job description focuses on teaching English, it is equally important for me as a teacher to create students who are college and career ready. To this end, I look for ways to purposefully teach real world skills in my classroom.
Every student is capable of success in the classroom. No truly effective teacher can believe otherwise. It is up to me as a teacher to know my students, to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and to discover how to best reach each one of them. Differentiation is important in any classroom, but in a classroom with diverse learners it is paramount. As a teacher I strive to vary my teaching methods, using different styles of activities to engage different styles of learners in order to reach each student.
Additionally, I believe that it is my job to be responsive to my students both personally and professionally. I need to meet them where they are at in order to guide them on the path toward reaching their goals. I must be respectful of my students’ cultures and communities, considering their backgrounds when creating my lessons. An alienated student will not be a productive student, nor will a student who feels they do not matter to their teacher.
Part of my professional responsiveness must relate to assessment. It is important to provide various vehicles of assessments in order to allow all students ample opportunities to demonstrate their mastery of the standards being taught. It is also imperative that the results of those assessments be shared promptly with the students so that they can understand and track their progress. I as a teacher must also know how to interpret the results of the assessments in order to plan further instruction.
Finally, I believe that my high expectations must extend not only to my students, but to myself and my colleagues as well. Certainly, I cannot expect for my students to come to class prepared and give their all if I do not do the same. As a teacher, I must lead by example and model each one of the skills I hope to develop in my students. Only when I am the best teacher I can be will my students truly be pushed to reach their full potential.