PHILOSOPHY of Teaching and learning
As an educator, I believe that the purpose of education is to teach children how to be active and responsible members of society. I believe whole-heartedly in the following quote by Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." I believe that with knowledge comes power and it is with this power of knowledge that we, as humans, work together to improve our world.
I also believe that teachers should strive to instill a passion for learning in their students. I believe that all children can learn if they are shown how. Being an elementary teacher, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to help children develop their young minds to be open and willing to learn. It is at the elementary level where students gain their first experiences with "how to do school”. In essence, it sets the tone for the next 15 or so years in education. Listed below are what I believe to be essential components to a successful learning environment for all students.
Safe and Welcoming Learning Environments
Students should feel comfortable asking questions and participating in class. All student’s ideas and opinions are to be respected and valued. Rules and procedures should be developed along with the students and consistently enforced. Students should know that the classroom is a place where learning takes place and that learning might look different for different students. An understanding of “fair is not always equal” is necessary by all students.
Student Centered Classrooms
The focus of instruction should always be on the students. The teacher should provide opportunities for the students to work collaboratively and use their prior knowledge to construct new meaning.
Authentic Integration of Subject Areas
Learning is not done in a vacuum. One does not learn how to read and construct meaning of what they read by simply reading the same kinds of things over and over. The same is true for other areas of literacy, math, science, and social studies. Learning activities should be connected together so that the student understands how this can apply in their daily lives. Integration is a way to provide rich learning experiences and is vital to being able to cover a rigorous curriculum in one school year.
Differentiation of Instruction
Gone are the days when the ability to differentiate instruction for all learners was what set teachers apart. In today’s educational world, this is a skill that should be expected from all teachers. Our students are diverse and learn in many different ways. Instruction should be tailored to fit the needs of each child.
Assessment driven Instruction
In order to adequately implement differentiated instruction, teachers need to have data about what their students’ strengths and weaknesses are. Teachers need to use this information from both formal and informal assessments to influence their instruction. Students should also have multiple opportunities to show their understanding of a concept.
Relationships that Matter
Education is about teamwork. It is not solely the teacher’s job to teach, but also the work of the child and parents. Important relationships that need to be fostered include teacher-student, teacher-parent, and student-parent. These relationships need to be based on open and honest communication and work towards the common goal of student success.
While trying to find the right balance of these components and including new technology to engage young learners can be a challenge, it is critical to the success of any elementary classroom.
~ Julie Terry, 2013
I also believe that teachers should strive to instill a passion for learning in their students. I believe that all children can learn if they are shown how. Being an elementary teacher, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to help children develop their young minds to be open and willing to learn. It is at the elementary level where students gain their first experiences with "how to do school”. In essence, it sets the tone for the next 15 or so years in education. Listed below are what I believe to be essential components to a successful learning environment for all students.
Safe and Welcoming Learning Environments
Students should feel comfortable asking questions and participating in class. All student’s ideas and opinions are to be respected and valued. Rules and procedures should be developed along with the students and consistently enforced. Students should know that the classroom is a place where learning takes place and that learning might look different for different students. An understanding of “fair is not always equal” is necessary by all students.
Student Centered Classrooms
The focus of instruction should always be on the students. The teacher should provide opportunities for the students to work collaboratively and use their prior knowledge to construct new meaning.
Authentic Integration of Subject Areas
Learning is not done in a vacuum. One does not learn how to read and construct meaning of what they read by simply reading the same kinds of things over and over. The same is true for other areas of literacy, math, science, and social studies. Learning activities should be connected together so that the student understands how this can apply in their daily lives. Integration is a way to provide rich learning experiences and is vital to being able to cover a rigorous curriculum in one school year.
Differentiation of Instruction
Gone are the days when the ability to differentiate instruction for all learners was what set teachers apart. In today’s educational world, this is a skill that should be expected from all teachers. Our students are diverse and learn in many different ways. Instruction should be tailored to fit the needs of each child.
Assessment driven Instruction
In order to adequately implement differentiated instruction, teachers need to have data about what their students’ strengths and weaknesses are. Teachers need to use this information from both formal and informal assessments to influence their instruction. Students should also have multiple opportunities to show their understanding of a concept.
Relationships that Matter
Education is about teamwork. It is not solely the teacher’s job to teach, but also the work of the child and parents. Important relationships that need to be fostered include teacher-student, teacher-parent, and student-parent. These relationships need to be based on open and honest communication and work towards the common goal of student success.
While trying to find the right balance of these components and including new technology to engage young learners can be a challenge, it is critical to the success of any elementary classroom.
~ Julie Terry, 2013