Philosophy of Teaching

Joel Everett
Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

EDUC 5953D
Shaunda Wood
I firmly believe that being a teacher is one of the most important, and most
fulfilling professions a human can choose. This is because of the effect that teachers have
on shaping the future of our communities, provinces, country and the world. With that
being said, teachers need to ensure that they are doing everything they can to get the most
out of their students without discouraging them from wanting to continue the learning
process. In my opinion, a great teacher does two very important things in their everyday
practice. The first, being that the teacher leaves an everlasting, positive impression on
each of their students that drives the students to future positive educational experiences.
The second, is that they do not only teach the content of the course in which they are
assigned, but also life skills that will help students in their further learning. Drawing from
my own experience and some work done by educational researchers, the following
represents my views on teaching and how it affects learning.
Vygotskys zone of proximal development theory states that children learn best
under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Vygotsky, 1978).
This means that children need focused attention from their teachers and peers as they are
learning in order to maximize the possibility. I plan to implement this in my classroom by
forming personal and positive relationships with as many of my students as possible. I
think one of the biggest keys to garnering respect as a teacher is creating a safe and
positive learning atmosphere for students. Acts such as, greeting students at the door, and
finding out students interests can go a long way in earning the respect from the students
and can make it more likely for them to want to learn. Coming from a fairly small school
in a rural community, I have seen first hand the effect that teachers can have on making a
students high school experience either positive or negative. It is clear to me that one
single teacher can be the difference in making a students educational career successful,
with the use of proper technique.
There are a few limitations to creating a safe and secure learning atmosphere and
tapping into students zones of proximal development. One of those limitations is when
minority students respond differently to these practices than majority students would.
John Ogbu refers to this as oppositional cultural frames of reference(Ogbu, 1995). He
also suggests that a way to combat this is to tap into the cultural norms and activities of
the minority students and attempt to relate with them that way. Coming from a town with
a First Nations reserve, I have seen this opposition happen first hand. Whenever my
teachers would incorporate First Nation culture in our education, the opposition seemed
to diminish, which suggests that this is an extremely important idea to keep in mind when
attempting to create positive school experiences for students.
The other key to being a successful teacher is teaching not only content to
students, but also skills and values that will help them later in life. When I think of where
I learned to become a good citizen, I think first of what my parents taught me, but I also
remember many valuable life lessons I gained from various teachers I have had.
Therefore, I think a great teacher is one that can not only teach content effectively, but
can also find time to incorporate morals, skills and values into their lessons that will
develop students into contributors to society. The challenge then, becomes how teachers
can balance being able to teach the required knowledge that comes with a course, with
the life lessons they want to incorporate. One of the biggest things I will attempt to
deliver to my students is the ability to think for themselves. Jean Piagets constructivist
theory suggests that learners construct their own knowledge through their own
experiences. This to me means that we must not teach our students what to think but how
to think. The best way to achieve this goal is to immerse students into their own learning
and use methodologies that get students working kinesthetically to ensure that the content
being delivered is better engrained in their minds. This ability to think for themselves will
not only help the students when it comes to critical thinking and analysis in their future
education, but it will also help in their everyday lives as they grow older and further away
from their parents or guardians.
Another key quality I can only hope to instill in my students is for them to be able
to intrinsically motivate themselves. I hope not that my students will only want to learn
from me because they will get good grades, but that they will want to learn because I can
deliver the information to them in a way that is exciting and interesting. I am willing to
submit to the fact that motivation cannot simply be conjured up on the spot, but I hope to
find ways to at least push my students away from worrying about what they will be
getting on their report card. In the same light, I also wish to become adequate at building
self-efficacy within my students. That is to say that I wish to be able to help my students
gain the confidence within themselves to complete the tasks that are given to them.
In conclusion, my teaching and learning philosophy is summed up with two fairly
simple thoughts: 1) that students need a safe and positive overall learning experience
from their teachers in order to have the confidence and ability to further their education
and 2) that teaching life skills and values are integral to being a great teacher because the
goal should always be to help create positive contributors to society. I fully understand
that I am not going to be able to walk into my first job and accomplish every goal I have
set for myself as an educator. I promise to always keep an open mind, be open to
collaboration with other educators and always take as much as possible from every
professional development opportunity.
References
Ogbu, J. (1995). Cultural problems in minority education: Their interpretations and
consequences-part one theoretical background. The Urban Review, 27(3), 189205.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. The development of higher psychological
processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Woolfolk, A.E., Winne, P.H., Perry, N.E. & Shapka, J. (2012). (5th Can. Ed.).
Educational psychology. New York: Pearson.

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Joel Everett

Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

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