Introduction

Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy is that students should be at the center of their own learning. It is my duty as a teacher to invoke and encourage the learning process with individualized attention to student needs. Young learners require a safe, welcoming environment where they can fearlessly explore their interests and challenge their own understanding. Every student has great potential, and I will set high but achievable expectations for them.

When designing lessons, I prefer to follow the Understanding by Design model; I determine the learning objectives first, then I develop forms of assessment to measure those objectives, and finally I create lessons with material that corresponds to the desired student outcomes being assessed.

I believe that students should be active participants in any lesson. There should be many checks for understanding, either written or verbal, prompted by questions from the teacher and from peers. I like to incorporate technology which is intuitive, widely available, and a direct influence on student learning. My aim is to provide students with modern and accessible tools that they can use individually, not only to enhance their understanding of concepts presented in the classroom, but also to use for their own exploration and curiosity. I also believe that the learning journey for students requires interaction and conversation with peers. For this reason, I want to make group work and project-based learning an integral part of my lessons.

For assessments, I strongly prefer alternative formats over their traditional counterparts. Performance and authentic assessments are memorable and target learning about applying knowledge to something practical, whereas exams focus student outcomes on grades. Exams set a rigid bar for the level of understanding and performance. This contradicts the philosophy of differentiated instruction. Alternative assessments give students the chance to produce work at their own levels of ability. Excelling students may use these opportunities to go beyond the requirements and pursue deeper learning, something which traditional exams do not offer.

I support the belief that all students should be met with accommodations to maximize their success in and out of the classroom. Students with IEPs and 504 plans should always be embraced and treated to the full extent as any other student in the classroom. Their accommodation plans should be fully recognized and implemented.

My goal as a teacher is to inspire generations of modern thinkers who can make critical evaluations for themselves, who are comfortable collaborators, who are sufficiently skeptical and eager to challenge what they learn, and who recognize need to be a life-long learner. I hope to set a leading example and demonstrate the benefits of a rigorous, high-quality education.

About My Experience

As a student teacher at Worcester Technical High School (Worcester Tech or WTHS), I felt personal and professional growth. I quickly learned to adopt consistent routines and daily structure to maintain well-being and productivity. The early morning start was an adjustment from the usual college schedule, but it became habit and was less uncomfortable after the first few weeks. Once I began teaching in the classroom, I discovered what it meant to "perform" for students every day. I have a background in theater, and I've often been told that teaching is like performance— no matter what is happening in your personal life, you must play the role of the teacher dependably. I decided for myself that it was important not to let my mood (tired, stressed) affect the students, and that I would strive for consistency in my presentation to the class. Some days were difficult, but I feel that over the fifteen weeks I grew into a polished version of my teacher character that could act alert and enthusiastic even when I was tired or unmotivated. This way, the students always knew what to expect of me when entering the classroom.

From this practicum experience, I've also learned to manage my time more optimally, as well as to balance my personal and professional lives with each other. A teacher in their first year spends many hours outside of school planning lessons and creating fresh materials. This is demanding and displays a total commitment to professional teaching. As a non-professional, there were moments where I needed to remind myself to step back and find a more sustainable approach to progressively reaching this level of work. I began the practicum using standard lesson materials shared among the math teachers in the department. I needed this time to develop my teaching style and learn how to manage the classroom. For the last four weeks of the practicum, I designed new materials of my own— notes and slides, worksheets, and assessments. At that point, I felt comfortable teaching in the classroom and was ready to devote more time to material preparation. Those last four weeks, I felt like I had "figured it out" and was teaching confidently. I can tell that I've grown as a presenter and as a professional through this teaching experience.

The culture at Worcester Tech is driven by the twenty two technical areas, or "shops," offered to students. Every student chooses one shop to learn from outside of their academics. Notably, each shop has a recognizable uniform which students wear to school on alternating weeks. Seeing many different uniforms in the classroom is a reminder of the diversity of student interests and areas of expertise. This is also noticeable in the cafeteria during shop lunches. The students in uniforms proudly represent what makes their education special at Worcester Tech. Having attended a vocational high school, I feel a deep appreciation for the commitment that these students make to their respective programs every day. I know that they are all hard workers and problem solvers, and they will greatly benefit from having this vocational experience wherever they continue after high school.

The high school, newly opened in 2006, receives a competitive number of applications each year. Because of this, the school sets high expectations for accepted students, who tend to be high achievers. Before my practicum, I nervously anticipated troublesome students in the classroom— balk-talkers, class clowns, dismissive students, or nonstop chatters. What if they are rude to me? What if they don't pay attention? Even though I knew that I would have the support of my mentor teacher, I felt that I would not know how to respond to these situations. This, however, was not a problem at Worcester Tech. The students are sincere, hard-working, and willing to learn. Every day I was impressed by and grateful for the students' respectfulness in class. During my first two weeks of observing the classroom, it was clear that the students respected my mentor teacher, and I was concerned that they would be disappointed when I taught in his place. One student wrote, "At first I was against the idea of a student teacher because of past ones." I knew that I would have to step up and prove myself as a qualified and able teacher, while also remembering that I am learning and allowed to make mistakes. By the end, I found that no matter how the lessons went, it was important that I was respectful, thoughtful, engaging, consistent, and professional. I wanted to create an environment of trust where students would feel safe to learn and participate, and they would know that I had their best interests at heart. We formed a healthy working relationship which positively impacted their success in the classroom.

For the practicum, I set a professional practice goal to improve my planning process with the intention to deliver high-quality lessons. With lots of practice and development, I met this goal by the thirteenth week as targeted. However, I still feel that I did not connect enough with the students. This is partly because I entered halfway through the school year, and to begin I was focused on learning how to teach in a high school for the first time. By the end of the practicum, I only knew students well who participated often. If I were to teach in my own classroom next year, I would set a new goal to find ways to relate to a broader group of students by building relationships and making connections from the first day forward.