My Education Philosophy

(Image from smartowl.com)

          I hope to be a democratic teacher and develop a classroom where everyone’s voice is valued. My goal is to create a welcoming student-centered environment in my classroom.  Understanding that students learn at various levels and in different ways, I hope to create a classroom environment where all learners are respected. I will model respectful behavior and establish a classroom culture where differences are not only accepted, but are appreciated and welcomed. I will develop differentiated lessons and assignments that allow the potential for all learners to be successful.

I want to encourage students to voice their opinions in my class. I want to create an environment in my classroom where students feel comfortable to speak their mind without fear of being made fun of. I will value what all of my students have to say and encourage my students to value the voices of their peers. Allowing students to have a voice is particularly important in an English class, because we spend a lot of time in class discussions. Often students will discover interpretations of a text that the teacher had not previously considered.  This kind of discovered knowledge will be valued and encouraged in my class. By allowing the students this freedom I will be able to learn from the students as well, and they will be able to learn from each other.

I expect my students to show respect for their classmates and the teacher. This includes actively listening when others are talking, being cooperative, and not distracting their classmates from learning. I will convey this to my students by establishing my expectations at the beginning of the year and reiterating them throughout the year.  I will model the behavior that I expect my students to emulate. I will be respectful of my students and listen to what they have to say in hopes that they will do the same for me. I will be assertive, but I also want to be a teacher who listens to my students and considers their point of view.  Ultimately, I am the adult and the professional, so I have the final word in the classroom, but I will take my students into account when making decisions. 

When creating my rules for the classroom I will keep my expectations for student behavior in mind.  I plan to make a basic set of rules on my own and then ask the students to contribute ideas of their own, with the hope that creating rules for themselves will help the students to take responsibility of their behavior.

Showing that I care about my students is the most important way that I can motivate them.  I think that by getting to know my students and showing that I care about each of them individually I will be able to get them to care about me and what I have to say, and most importantly what I have to teach.  I will encourage students to do well in school for their own benefit.  I want my students to be motivated because they care about what they are doing rather than to be motivated for the promise of a reward.  Motivating students to care about being successful serves the dual purpose of management and preparing them for the future.