PRE- BELIEFS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING
First, "I believed that it is alright for a teacher to do spoon-feeding so that learners will grasp a lot of information and knowledge from the teacher". It is acceptable for a teacher to teach what to learn so that learners will be filled with various concepts. Second, "I believed that teachers' mastery of the various topics is enough to make the teaching and learning process effective". I thought back then that when a teacher is knowledgeable about the topic, he/she is already considered an effective teacher. And lastly, "I believed that teaching using the mind is enough in the teaching and learning process". I thought that the mind only matters in teaching, nothing else.
POST-BELIEFS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING
After taking this course, I found out that my pre-beliefs are incorrect. First, "I believe now that a teacher should teach how to learn, not what to learn". This means that a teacher should provide opportunities for learners to think, learn for themselves and explore ideas on their own, not just give all the information needed by the learners. Learners who are taught how to learn enjoy the learning process. They have deeper knowledge and understanding of the concepts and they can explain the concepts properly and accurately in their own words. However, when learners are taught what to learn, they cannot explain the concepts properly because they are dependent on the teacher. Therefore, after taking this course, I believe that teachers should teach how to learn, not what to learn to maximize the learning of students and to develop also their skills and abilities in different aspects, Second, "I believe that a teacher should possess both mastery and pedagogical skills". From what I observed, it is not effective for a teacher to have mastery of the various topics if he/she lacks pedagogical skills. After taking this course, I believe that a teacher should also be excellent in delivering the lesson, not just being knowledgeable about the content of the lesson to make teaching effective and for better acquisition of learning on the part of learners. Third, "I believe that a teacher should not only use the mind in teaching but also the heart". A teacher should know how to feel his/her learners. In that way, learners will be comfortable and they can rely on the teacher when problems arise. And lastly, "I believe that a teacher should walk the talk". This means that teachers should show the learners that they do what they say. They practice it daily and they are not just uttering words that are nonsense. Just like for an instance, when teachers say that they should eat healthy foods, then they should be eating healthy foods. When he/she tells the class that saying bad words are not good, she/he must avoid saying bad words. If a teacher failed to walk the talk, learners will never believe his/her words and the impression of that teacher is not good.
As I assessed my philosophies/beliefs before and after taking this course, there are many changes. Nevertheless, these changes lead me to the best. It leads me to my improvement and development as a forthcoming educator. These will be my stands for me to become a productive, efficient, and effective teacher in the future.