Running head: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PROFILE 1

Individual Student Profile on Education Philosophy and Goals

Amanda Cook

American College of Education

Individual Student Profile on Education Philosophy and Goals

As educators, we are always learning new strategies and ways to improve our classrooms

and instruction. Being an educator does not simply mean we teach students a specific content or

subject in our curriculum. An effective educator is one who also builds relationships with their

students and teaches life-long skills like respect, responsibility, compassion, and other social

skills that can be used in a student’s life after leaving your classroom. Effective teaching is also

“oriented and focused on students and their learning” (Devlin, & Samarawickrema, 2010, p. 1).

Our world is constantly changing and improving with new technology and ideas. Thus, it is

important for teachers to also change and implement new strategies in their classrooms. In order

to be an effective educator, a teacher should continue to learn and grow in their teaching

philosophy and goals. In the following paper, I will be discussing my personal philosophy of

learning and my goals as an educator.

Philosophy of Learning

My first vivid memory of school is during my time in first grade. I had just moved from

Japan to the United States, I did not speak any English and I remember being frightened to leave

my parents to go to school. I remember spending many mornings crying, but overtime I became

comfortable to be in my classroom. For months I wrote my name in Japanese and my teacher

did not correct me. She was kind and compassionate, and she helped me feel safe in my new

school. It has been 18 years since I was in first grade, but I will never forget how my teacher’s

kindness positively impacted my transition to the United States.

As I grew older, I exited from the English for Other Speakers program and was fully

integrated in general education classes. I made friends and felt comfortable going to school.
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However, there were still times of hardship and these hardships were overcome with the help of

many different teachers. Many of my teachers took the time to build relationships with me and

we spoke about topics that were not school related. I spent many lunch periods eating in

teachers' classrooms, and many teachers opened their classrooms to me after school to study or

do homework until I could get a ride home. The kindness and compassion of my teachers helped

me to be a successful student.

The combination of self-determination, motivating parents, and effective teachers helped

me to learn and become the educator I am today. My own experiences as a student and teacher

have shaped my beliefs on learning and how to be an effective teacher. Even though some of my

beliefs may change overtime with more teaching experience, I will always believe that all

students have the right to an education and are able to learn, regardless of disabilities or other

challenges the student might face.

Regardless of learning ability or other uncontrollable circumstances like socioeconomic

status, race, native language, or family circumstances, I believe all students can learn and is it

every person’s right to have an education. Students with disabilities should be provided with

appropriate support and accommodations in order to help students be successful in their

academics and social relationships with their peers. I believe it is the school staff and teachers'

responsibility to know each of their student’s needs and incorporate necessary scaffolding and

differentiation into lessons in order to help all students be successful in their learning. Students

who struggle with behavior management and social skills should also be provided with support

in order for the struggling students to learn positive behaviors. By teaching students positive

behaviors, the students will be able to achieve more in their academic classes by causing less
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disruptions. They will also have more class time because they will not get pulled out of classes

less and have better relationships with their peers. I believe regardless of a student’s

background, all students are able to learn and deserve an education that best meets their own

individual needs.

Second, I believe that in order to help students learn and be successful, teacher’s should

present material in different ways to meet the needs of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners.

A teacher should present materials in different ways and should not have students complete the

same activity every class period because every student has a different learning style. A learning

style “is the best way he or she concentrates on, processes, internalizes, and remembers new and

difficult academic information and skill” (Csapo & Hayen, 2006, p. 129). Due to the fact that

everyone has their own individual learning style, it is important for a teacher to present the

material of their class using different approaches. “Utilizing learning style theory in the

classroom is extremely beneficial at all educational levels” (Csapo et al., 2006, p. 129).

Therefore, regardless of a teacher’s content, in order to effectively teach material to their

students, it is important for teachers to accommodate all learning styles in their classroom.

Third, I believe teachers should approach discipline in a positive and preventive approach

to help teach students positive behaviors, while decreasing negative behaviors. By using a

preventative approach, schools are able to teach students appropriate behaviors, while creating a

better school climate by preventing negative behaviors from reoccurring. In addition, when a

teacher approaches their behavior management in a positive and preventative approach, teachers

can give students “meaningful incentives and consequences that motivate the use of their social

skills” (Knoff, 2005, p. 12). A positive and preventative approach also teaches students behavior
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management skills that they can use as they grow older and outside of the school setting. A

positive and preventative behavior approach allows teachers to spend less time having to correct

behavior and focus more time on teaching and student learning. Preventative approaches “aim to

alter the school environment by creating improved systems and procedures to promote positive

changes in staff and student behavior in all contexts” (Bradshaw & Pas, 2011, p. 531). Thus, I

believe teachers should use preventative programs to help increase student learning by teaching

students positive behaviors, while decreasing negative behaviors.

Goal Statement One

My first goal as an educator is to increase my students confidence in their mathematical

abilities. Studies have shown that “self-confidence is one of the [most] influential factors which

is unrecognized regarding students’ mathematical achievement” (Kunhertanti, & Santosa, 2018,

p. 1). I believe self-confidence has a direct effect on students learning mathematics and can help

determine if students will master the content. Studies have shown that “self-confidence is

essentially believed to improve students’ achievement in learning mathematics” (Kunhertanti et

al., 2108, p. 1). Therefore, my goal as a math teacher is to not just simply teach mathematics, but

to increase my students’ self-confidence in their mathematical ability.

Goal Statement Two

My second goal as an educator is to teach my students life skills that they can use in and

outside my classroom. A specific approach to learning I want to teach my students is how to

become self-reflectors. I will measure this goal by implementing self-reflections throughout my

classes. This will give my students the opportunity to reflect on their own achievements and

mistakes. I think it is important for teachers to teach their students how to self-reflect because
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self-reflection is one of the “foundations for independent learning and [encourages] application

of their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts” (International Baccalaureate, 2014, para. 7).

By teaching my students to reflect on their own learning, I believe I can help my students to

become life-long learners and be successful in all of their academic and life endeavors.

Goal Statement Three

My goal for pursuing a graduate degree is to better myself as a teacher. This means I

become a more effective math teacher. I will measure my growth as a teacher during the years

while in this graduate program and after graduating by analyzing and evaluating my student’s

unit, county, and state test scores. I will evaluate my students scores for mastery and growth. I

will also analyze my students’ teacher feedback survey to assess how I am improving as a

teacher.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as an educator, I believe all students have the right to an education and that

all students are able to learn regardless of uncontrollable circumstances that may affect their

learning. Educators have the responsibility to meet the needs of all of their students, and teach

their content to meet all different learning styles. By also using a preventative and positive

approach plan to manage behavior, teachers will be able to increase instruction and learning time

by increasing positive behavior and decreasing negative behavior. As an educator, it is also

important to have goals in order to improve as a teacher. My mail goal by the end of this

program is to become a more effective math teacher by helping my students increase their

mathematical self-confidence and teaching students how to self-reflect on their own learning.
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References

Bradshaw, E., & Pas, T. (2011). A Statewide Scale Up of Positive Behavioral Interventions and

Supports: A Description of the Development of Systems of Support and Analysis of

Adoption and Implementation. School Psychology Review, 40(4), 530–548.

Csapo N., & Hayen, R. (2006). The Role of Learning Styles in the Teaching/Learning Process.

Issues in Information Systems, 7(1).

International Baccalaureate. (2014). MYP Curriculum. Retrieved from

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/curriculum/
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Knoff, H. M. (2005). The Stop and Think Social Skills Program: Exploring its research base and

rationale. Little Rock, AR: Project ACHIEVE Press. Retrieved from

https://lgapi-us.libapps.com/ld.php?er_attachment_id=894596&site_id=13214

Kunhertanti, K., & Santosa, R. H. (2018). The Influence of Students’ Self Confidence on

Mathematics Learning Achievement. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1097.

Devlin, M., & Samarawickrema, G. (2010) The criteria of effective teaching in a changing higher

education context, Higher Education Research & Development, 29:2, 111-124, DOI:

10.1080/07294360903244398