My Teaching Philosophy

I believe that learning is a process of meaning making. A teacher must create the right opportunities for students to make meaning by engaging them in activities that lead to comprehension.
 

A teacher must first know her students in order to design lessons that will address their individual learning styles and academic goals. Each student is a unique individual with differing academic strengths and weaknesses. A teacher should build on the students’ strengths and use them to addresses the areas of academic challenge.
 

Teachers should seek out the biographical information of students, which is their socio-cultural, literacy, academic, and cognitive knowledge. When teachers design lessons based on this information they provide students many ways to access their existing schemas. Connecting to prior knowledge, using strategies, and repeated practice are the key elements that will help a student learn.
 

A teacher can have a significant role in motivating a student to learn. When a teacher provides the right combination of guidance, encouragement, independence and challenges the students take ownership of their learning and put in tremendous effort. A teacher who fails to motivate her students ends up with behavior problems and low performance.
 

Lastly, a teacher should be a role model and demonstrate the behavior she expects from her students. Children learn from what they observe and easily recognize double standards. Therefore, a teacher must set high standards for her own behavior which students could emulate.
 

Over the years, I have focused on these essential aspects of my educational philosophy and referred to these beliefs while self-reflecting on my teaching.