The role of the teacher is to create a safe and inclusive environment, inspiring and motivating students. Teachers design and deliver practical lessons, adapt teaching strategies to individual needs, and assess student progress. They also encourage, motivate, and adapt teaching methods to meet the needs of diverse students, ultimately empowering them to succeed academically and in life. Teachers nurture critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and social development. They serve as mentors, providing guidance and support. Additionally, teachers instill values, ethics, and a love for lifelong learning. Overall, teachers play a fundamental role in shaping students' academic growth, character development, and preparation for a successful future in society.
Furthermore, some qualities that make someone a good teacher are patience, empathy, and effective communication skills to connect with students. They possess subject expertise and a passion for teaching, which allows them to convey knowledge effectively. In addition, adaptability helps in tailoring lessons to diverse learning styles. A good teacher inspires and motivates students, instills a love for learning, and maintains a positive and inclusive classroom atmosphere. They are dedicated to their students' success, fostering both academic and personal growth while promoting critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and social/emotional development.
The strengths that I have to bring to teaching is I have passion, patience, adaptability, communication, empathy, and organizational skills. Robert J. Marzano, an educational researcher in the United States once said, "effective teaching is not a simple matter of executing specific behaviors & strategies, because effective teaching is grounded in human relationships". There are many essential characteristics of effective teachers and to be a teacher, you must have a passion for what you are doing. I feel that I am personally suited for this career because I want to make a difference in each of my student's lives in some capacity or another where I hope to have a lasting impact on each of their lives. I can build relationships with every single one of my students. I can make each of my students feel cared for and loved because that may not be something that they all receive at home, so creating a family-safe environment is a strength I have. In addition, I also feel some more of my strengths are that I am kind, caring, nurturing, and a life-long learner.
These six measurable benchmarks are The Helix School in Mill Valley's Education Approach and I full-heartedly agree with these six measurable benchmarks and provide this foundation as my teaching philosophy.
It is really important to me to encourage all my students to not be afraid of trying and that it is okay to not understand something at first. I want my students to feel comfortable in trying new things and support them to get out of their comfort zone. I also believe in the importance of having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset because it is extremely important to me that my students are constantly wanting to learn with an open mind.