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It is important to sit down and put words to our "Philosophy of Teaching" and to review and revise it periodically.
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The main purpose of education is learning, but far too often students become disengaged, disillusioned and disheartened. It is crucial to keep the students engaged and focused. Each student and educator is charged with the task of increasing knowledge and understanding in the classroom. Traditional rote learning methods are outdated and often discouraging to students. Early in any class I teach, we discuss Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Furthermore, we then discuss how the curriculum has been designed with this in mind. This encourages the students who are apprehensive about science. Far too often, science is viewed as constrictive, specific and difficult, with a lot of memorization or formulas. By designing assessment around the varying skills diverse students might possess, the classroom can become a motivating, enriching place. I have always maintained that, when the semester or year ends, my students are better learners, thinkers, employees, parents and citizens. My science students are better readers, writers, presenters and thinkers than they were before taking my science class. Furthermore, they are equipped with the skills to continue that growth long after the semester is over.
Learning should be focused around a few main areas. Critical and Independent Thinking is essential to the development of each student. Being able to form unique independent ideas to solve problems will serve them in the classroom, in their occupations and in their everyday lives. I have always felt that group interaction is an important part of learning. Being able to share ideas, compare them with those of others, and developing teamwork skills are important processes in social, professional and personal development. Also, an educator should be prepared to lead and direct students to attain conclusions without simply providing the answers. Agenda setting, discussion guidance, and open-ended questioning are crucial skills to developing this technique. As students learn what to expect, they begin to ask themselves the questions I would use to guide them. Finally, building on previous knowledge is paramount. This technique, known as “scaffolding,” can be the most important skill a student learns in my classroom. I constantly stress that we are not here to memorize. We are here to learn. Learning can only, truly be accomplished through understanding. When we attach new concepts and ideas to knowledge we already possess, we aren’t searching for answers and information. We have the opportunity to “think through” a problem, analyzing what we already know. Through the combination of these techniques, it is at this point that the student has truly made this new learning part of who they are and understanding has been achieved.
Quality educators are more than lecturers, exam proctors, lab managers or disciplinarians. The best educators have a clear-cut set of objectives that allow them to seamlessly move among the multiple roles an efficient educator should serve. Compassionate educators operate a Trauma Informed Care environment and provide students opportunities for Restorative Justice.
I feel it is most important to act as a guide, directing students toward the answers they seek and the solutions to the problems they are charged with. An effective educator is a plethora of knowledge, a resource, a good manager and a motivator. We are charged with the task of guiding these students to the solutions they seek without delivering them there. The journey is as important to the learning process as the destination.
It is also crucial for an educator to act as an advisor. I have found this to be even more essential the further along the students are in their education. Many decisions are in the hands of the students as they get older. Taking time to advise the students on what classes to take, what majors to pursue and where to pursue them are as important as the education itself. Far too often, I feel learning and utilization of the material stop when the semester ends. Being a good advisor allows students to take the knowledge they have gained and attain their personal, academic, social and professional goals. This also comes with asking a student how they are doing. Students face numerous challenges in their lives, and I know I was especially interested in going to a class where the teacher was interested in us. The one on one and classroom discussions that the effective educators I have experienced created the memorable parts of my education I carry with me today.
In addition to being a guide and an advisor, a successful educator should be approachable. Interaction with the student is paramount to their learning. We have become increasingly aware that the best learning happens when students are engaged and active participants in their own learning. A student should be comfortable coming to their instructors, but furthermore know that time will be spent effectively. I feel that many educators stop being educators when the bell rings. Extending your efforts outside of the classroom shows passion and perseverance. It also shows students that learning continues outside the classroom and laboratory. Many of my former students return for help on the new challenges they are now facing, in the next stages of their lives. Whether we are working on a chemistry problem, proofreading an English paper or even discussing which home to buy, I am often a resource, professional contact, and mentor to my former students.
Something that I feel is frequently overlooked in education is fun. If the educator treats this as work, the students will react accordingly. If the class is boring, full of wasted time, or inconsiderate to the diversity of the students, the students often shut down. In science, lecture is necessary. Turning those lectures into discussions, eclectically changing the setting and format or varying the medium through which you deliver your message can be critical to continuously reengaging the learners. Utilizing varying forms of assessment keeps things fresh, but effectively allows those who might be most successful in nontraditional areas of assessment to shine. Though I am a Science Teacher, linguistic, logical, interpersonal, and spatial intelligences, for example, should always be present in a science classroom. When students are having fun, learning is no chore. It is exciting and welcomed. My students work very hard, but none have said it wasn’t worth it. Though the deadlines are not fun, the journey is. Many of my students prefer lecture because they get to sit back and learn while laughing. I pride myself on my ability to create not only a safe and effective learning environment, but also a fun learning environment.
Goal setting is something I have brought from my previous career to my classroom. Goals are discussed within the course of a school year, but as we progress, we begin to discuss future and personal goals. Many resist, but many see the value in goal setting and reap the benefits of the exercise for years to come. “You changed my life,” is something former students have said to me. I retort with, “I taught you how to change your life. You had to change it.”
Creating and implementing one’s philosophy are two different things. It is a lofty challenge to expect to implement all aspects one’s philosophy at all times, but by being constantly mindful of our philosophy we continue to weave it throughout the term and into peoples’ lives. Being a “reflective practitioner” is crucial to being an effective educator. We expect our students to grow, evolve and expand their knowledge, yet we don’t always hold those same standards for our own curriculum and instruction. Teaching the same curriculum 20 times is essentially robbing your students of the progress we ourselves should have made over the years.
Our students shouldn’t be the only learners. We, too, should be advancing and evolving what we do. Continuously analyzing the effectiveness of our curriculum, modifying and adjusting over time, is as important as any skill we possess.
In the end, being good at teaching isn’t enough. The most successful sales professionals become students of sales, furthering their skills and evolving their game plans. Athletes must continue to train to stay competitive. Politicians must stay informed and educated to honor the needs of their constituents, while a doctor needs to continuously train and learn to stay on the edge of medicine. Educators should be no different. Each year is an opportunity to tweak something, add or modify exercises and activities, to learn more and to become a more effective educator as the years pass. By being this passionate about my craft, I can make a lasting difference in the lives of my students and effectively change the world 30 students at a time.
Learning should be focused around a few main areas. Critical and Independent Thinking is essential to the development of each student. Being able to form unique independent ideas to solve problems will serve them in the classroom, in their occupations and in their everyday lives. I have always felt that group interaction is an important part of learning. Being able to share ideas, compare them with those of others, and developing teamwork skills are important processes in social, professional and personal development. Also, an educator should be prepared to lead and direct students to attain conclusions without simply providing the answers. Agenda setting, discussion guidance, and open-ended questioning are crucial skills to developing this technique. As students learn what to expect, they begin to ask themselves the questions I would use to guide them. Finally, building on previous knowledge is paramount. This technique, known as “scaffolding,” can be the most important skill a student learns in my classroom. I constantly stress that we are not here to memorize. We are here to learn. Learning can only, truly be accomplished through understanding. When we attach new concepts and ideas to knowledge we already possess, we aren’t searching for answers and information. We have the opportunity to “think through” a problem, analyzing what we already know. Through the combination of these techniques, it is at this point that the student has truly made this new learning part of who they are and understanding has been achieved.
Quality educators are more than lecturers, exam proctors, lab managers or disciplinarians. The best educators have a clear-cut set of objectives that allow them to seamlessly move among the multiple roles an efficient educator should serve. Compassionate educators operate a Trauma Informed Care environment and provide students opportunities for Restorative Justice.
I feel it is most important to act as a guide, directing students toward the answers they seek and the solutions to the problems they are charged with. An effective educator is a plethora of knowledge, a resource, a good manager and a motivator. We are charged with the task of guiding these students to the solutions they seek without delivering them there. The journey is as important to the learning process as the destination.
It is also crucial for an educator to act as an advisor. I have found this to be even more essential the further along the students are in their education. Many decisions are in the hands of the students as they get older. Taking time to advise the students on what classes to take, what majors to pursue and where to pursue them are as important as the education itself. Far too often, I feel learning and utilization of the material stop when the semester ends. Being a good advisor allows students to take the knowledge they have gained and attain their personal, academic, social and professional goals. This also comes with asking a student how they are doing. Students face numerous challenges in their lives, and I know I was especially interested in going to a class where the teacher was interested in us. The one on one and classroom discussions that the effective educators I have experienced created the memorable parts of my education I carry with me today.
In addition to being a guide and an advisor, a successful educator should be approachable. Interaction with the student is paramount to their learning. We have become increasingly aware that the best learning happens when students are engaged and active participants in their own learning. A student should be comfortable coming to their instructors, but furthermore know that time will be spent effectively. I feel that many educators stop being educators when the bell rings. Extending your efforts outside of the classroom shows passion and perseverance. It also shows students that learning continues outside the classroom and laboratory. Many of my former students return for help on the new challenges they are now facing, in the next stages of their lives. Whether we are working on a chemistry problem, proofreading an English paper or even discussing which home to buy, I am often a resource, professional contact, and mentor to my former students.
Something that I feel is frequently overlooked in education is fun. If the educator treats this as work, the students will react accordingly. If the class is boring, full of wasted time, or inconsiderate to the diversity of the students, the students often shut down. In science, lecture is necessary. Turning those lectures into discussions, eclectically changing the setting and format or varying the medium through which you deliver your message can be critical to continuously reengaging the learners. Utilizing varying forms of assessment keeps things fresh, but effectively allows those who might be most successful in nontraditional areas of assessment to shine. Though I am a Science Teacher, linguistic, logical, interpersonal, and spatial intelligences, for example, should always be present in a science classroom. When students are having fun, learning is no chore. It is exciting and welcomed. My students work very hard, but none have said it wasn’t worth it. Though the deadlines are not fun, the journey is. Many of my students prefer lecture because they get to sit back and learn while laughing. I pride myself on my ability to create not only a safe and effective learning environment, but also a fun learning environment.
Goal setting is something I have brought from my previous career to my classroom. Goals are discussed within the course of a school year, but as we progress, we begin to discuss future and personal goals. Many resist, but many see the value in goal setting and reap the benefits of the exercise for years to come. “You changed my life,” is something former students have said to me. I retort with, “I taught you how to change your life. You had to change it.”
Creating and implementing one’s philosophy are two different things. It is a lofty challenge to expect to implement all aspects one’s philosophy at all times, but by being constantly mindful of our philosophy we continue to weave it throughout the term and into peoples’ lives. Being a “reflective practitioner” is crucial to being an effective educator. We expect our students to grow, evolve and expand their knowledge, yet we don’t always hold those same standards for our own curriculum and instruction. Teaching the same curriculum 20 times is essentially robbing your students of the progress we ourselves should have made over the years.
Our students shouldn’t be the only learners. We, too, should be advancing and evolving what we do. Continuously analyzing the effectiveness of our curriculum, modifying and adjusting over time, is as important as any skill we possess.
In the end, being good at teaching isn’t enough. The most successful sales professionals become students of sales, furthering their skills and evolving their game plans. Athletes must continue to train to stay competitive. Politicians must stay informed and educated to honor the needs of their constituents, while a doctor needs to continuously train and learn to stay on the edge of medicine. Educators should be no different. Each year is an opportunity to tweak something, add or modify exercises and activities, to learn more and to become a more effective educator as the years pass. By being this passionate about my craft, I can make a lasting difference in the lives of my students and effectively change the world 30 students at a time.