Teaching Philosophy
When I think about my role as a teacher, the one thing that I constantly have focused on is the relationships that I have built with my students. I enjoy chatting with them on subjects and issues that are important to them, and learn how they feel about and experiencing the world and the material that we are studying in class. I want my own classroom to be less of a class and more of a community, where we are all share ideas and learn from one another at the same time. This is one of the reasons why I focused on teaching primary school students.
I have a very firm belief that kids have the ability to make great changes in the world if they are given the right information and tools, and I want to help my students to reach their goals in life to enhance their communication tool with other citizens in the world.
I believe that each child is an unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is my desire as a educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites a sharing of ideas.
There are three elements that I believe are conducive to establishing such an environment,
- the teacher acting as a guide,
- allowing the child's natural curiosity to direct his/her learning,
- promoting respect for all things and all people.
For students to construct knowledge, they need the opportunity to discover for themselves and practice skills in authentic situations. Providing students access to hands-on activities and allowing adequate time and space to use materials that reinforce the lesson being studied creates an opportunity for individual discovery and construction of knowledge to occur.
Equally important to self-discovery is having the opportunity to study things that are meaningful and relevant to one's life and interests. Developing a curriculum around student interests fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates the passion to learn. When students have ownership in the curriculum, they are motivated to work hard and master the skills necessary to reach their goals.
For me, teaching provides an opportunity for continues learning and growth. One of my hopes as an educator is to instill a love of learning in my students, as I share my own passion for learning with them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children. In our competitive society it is important for students to not only receive a solid education, but to work with someone who is aware of and sensitive to their individual needs. I am such a person and will always strive to be the best educator that I can be.
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