Philosophy of Education
I believe that each and every individual student has a story. The components of these stories include specific areas of strength and need, cultural diversity, and background knowledge. It is my duty as an educator to set my students up for success regardless of these very diverse stories. In order to do this effectively, it is essential to develop relationships with the students, parents, and the surrounding community. Knowing and respecting the students and their diversity will allow me to better adapt my teaching strategies and the curricula to meet the needs of these individual learners.
I also believe in the importance of creating a comfortable classroom environment where students are free from criticism and negativity. Students should feel a sense of belonging and a willingness to share ideas and give suggestions regarding material presented in class, their own work, and the work of their peers. This non-threatening classroom climate will allow students to develop important critical thinking skills as well as social relationships with their peers.
As a future educator I believe it is necessary to help students feel as if they are in control of their learning by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge in many ways. I will create several opportunities for meaningful learning to occur by utilizing many different instructional strategies and approaches. Within these engaging lessons and activities it is important to also provide students with an opportunity to make choices. This will help students to use the decision making process, take responsibility, and develop intrinsic motivation towards learning.
