Teaching Philosophy

When I reflect on the time when I first saw teachers in a new light, I always go back to
my fifth grade year. Normally, as a student you do not say in what teacher you would like, but I
had the unique experience of having the principal call me, unsure what class to put me in for the
next year; I had a very crucial decision that was placed into my hands. Unfortunately for me, I
picked a gifted classroom where every student was more advanced than me. As a child who had
always struggled with confidence, I felt like a fish out of water, wading through a sea I couldn't
swim in. The first few days were tough for me, but then I got to know my teacher, Mrs. Purvis.
She made me feel seen, and validated my anxieties, but also made me realize things I never knew
about myself. She would spend most days after school tutoring me in math, she introduced a
reading competition where I finally got out of my comfort zone and excelled, and genuinely
cared about my personal life and loved how my mind worked. To be a successful student I
needed attention and someone who understood me for who I was. She taught me that it may
seem like I am a fish out of water, but I also have depth and strengths that I never knew I had.
The purpose of teaching is to set up a student's learning that goes far beyond the classroom. I can
do this by giving students space to grow, nurturing them, and creating an environment that is
student centered.
Having a class environment where students are the driving force of the lessons is crucial.
Teachers need to be able to understand that students process information at different paces and
not every whole group lesson will meet the needs of all students. So, I must know each student to
be able to personalize every assignment I create. It starts with incorporating every learning style
into what I teach: visual, hands-on, collaborative, verbal or auditory. In order to decide if each
student has processed the information, I will ask them questions, but also make it a priority to
make them comfortable asking me questions if they are confused, and I will incorporate small
groups and one-on-one work continuously. If this doesn't work, I am committed to finding
alternate solutions for the student that they develop on their own so they have control of their
own learning. I will make sure no student will feel left behind because I have experienced this
and I know how detrimental this can be to learning and mental health.
I need to create a nurturing environment for the students in my classroom. This is defined as
building a comfortable and trusting relationship with all the students. The last thing I want to do
is make the students feel like I am a stranger who they only see as their teacher. I want them to
know I care about their well being in and out of the classroom. I will do this by creating a
physical space that is inviting and inspiring because the classroom should be like a second home.
This includes filling the room with color, motivational posters, and furniture that is fun and
comfy. I also would start the day with what they are looking forward to and how they can be
successful for the day, and a new motivational quote each day that applies to the class as a whole.
I want to intrinsically motivate them to learn and make lessons as fun as possible to make sure
they are engaged. In my experience, I have seen that the teachers who are themselves around
their students and create a friendly environment have been my favorites and are the most
memorable.
Lastly, I want to provide my students with space and time to grow and hone their skills. I want to
carry the philosophy that they know it's ok to make mistakes and failing can be good too. I want
my students to try new things and go out of their comfort zone. From what I have learned, this is
the best way to find your strengths and weaknesses and also feel more confident in yourself. I
was always told by teachers time and time again, “don’t second guess yourself.” In the end, you
might mess up either way, but trusting yourself and your instinct is so important. I want to be the
facilitator of student-led discussions where they can ask each other questions and go deeper in
their own learning. This will hopefully help them practice critical thinking for later years in
school, but also translate into the real world. The greatest moments I have had as an intern is
eavesdropping on the students' group conversations and seeing how smart and interesting they
are. They open my eyes to so many new perspectives and it's key to be open-minded as a teacher.
My overall goal of my teaching philosophy is that it makes a difference in a student's life.

If I can say that a student remembers me for making an impact on their learning or more
importantly them as a person, I can say I have succeeded. This is why I want to go into a career
that shapes the minds of young lives. It's such a responsibility, but also rewarding if you do it
correctly. For me, if I wouldn't have made the decision to have Mrs. Purvis as a teacher I would
have never seen how powerful it is to have a teacher believe in you. Twenty years from now, I
hope that students remember me for understanding who they are as a person and believing in
them when they didn't believe in themselves.

Teaching Philosophy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Teaching Philosophy

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Teaching Philosophy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

When I reflect on the time when I first saw teachers in a new light, I always go back to

My overall goal of my teaching philosophy is that it makes a difference in a student's life.

You might also like