Teaching Philosophy |
As a little girl, I remember looking up to my
teachers and thinking that he or she was the kind of person I wanted to be when
I grew up. From the way they dressed to
the way they wrote their name on the chalkboard, I copied everything I could
about the “big people” around me. Now as
an adult with my own children, and as an individual about to embark on a new
career in teaching, I keep that memory in the back of my mind everyday. I am always conscious of the fact that my
children, their friends, and soon my students, will be taking in everything I
say or do as if it is the most important thing in the world. Therefore, although my job will be to teach
art and art history to the best of my ability, my teaching philosophy goes far
beyond the surface. I believe the greatest teachers are, first and foremost,
those who strive to be amazing role models.
A great teacher should not only be able to influence a student to be passionate about the subject area they are studying, but they should strive to help each student see his or her own unique abilities so that they can accomplish things they never thought possible. Many people see teachers simply as the educators and experts in their fields that they are. However, anyone can learn to read a book and relay information. A real teacher needs to see beyond the information and find a way to connect with each student individually. Not everyone learns the same way and therefore, not everyone should be taught the same way. Especially in art, the lessons need to go beyond looking at pictures in a book. Students should be able to feel what it was like to live in the time period they are studying and understand the train of thought that went through the artist’s mind as they constructed a particular piece of art. Similarly, although a teacher understands exactly what he or she is teaching, the students may not be following the same train of thought. Even if there is only one student out of twenty who doesn’t understand, the teacher must be caring and understanding of this child’s needs and either stop to help him or her or take time at the end of the lesson to go over everything individually. Whether it is though hands on activities, movies, visual aids, or field trips, a great educator should acclimate each lesson so that it can be clearly understood by each student. Some students do better work within a group and others like to do things individually. Not all students have to be working on the same activity all the time either. Student choice projects with options that address a variety of Gardener’s multiple intelligences, allow students to showcase their talents and challenge them to think in different ways. The most important thing to do as a teacher is to constantly assess how students are doing so that steps can be taken to help all students improve. When addressing the issue of students with special needs, I believe that inclusion should be used as much as possible if it is right for the particular student. Inclusion requires the support of the special education staff and constant monitoring of student progress. Accommodations must also be made by the teacher in order to address the student’s specific needs. Especially in art, plans may have to be revised as far as materials used and the level of challenge involved. However, there is no reason that a special needs student cannot take part in the same lessons and activities as other students. In addition, one of the most important characteristics a teacher should possess is to be confident and able to think on his or her toes. Many people visualize walking into a classroom, teaching their lesson, and the students understanding everything immediately. However, in reality, things rarely work out this way. From my own teaching experience, you never know when a student will be having a bad day and disrupt the entire class. When preparing a lesson, a good teacher should anticipate any problems that could arise and be ready to stop and try something new if the lesson isn’t working out the way they planned. As far as discipline is concerned, it is important for a teacher to show the students who is in charge by clearly setting out the rules on day one. The rules should be written out somewhere in the classroom and if the rules are broken, a teacher should not make exceptions for anyone. Of course everyone makes mistakes and should have a chance to redeem themselves. However, I believe that one warning is adequate enough to make a student aware that their behavior is unacceptable. If the problem happens again, they will either have to sit out for the rest of the lesson and make up missed work for homework or at a later time or, depending on the severity of the problem, be sent to a higher authority within the school, such as a principal or vice principal. If students do not learn at a young age that there are consequences for their actions then the problem will only get worse. Furthermore, an important part of a teacher’s job, which I think is often overlooked, is the need for good communication with parents. An individual who is usually an exceptional ‘A’ student may decide to slack off for a few weeks and do C student work. Usually there is a reason for this, and although often it has to do with problems with their peers, the root of the problem can also be due to life at home. A young mind is so fragile and easily scarred by the people around them. It is a parent’s responsibility to help their children get on the right path. However, in today’s world where it is almost impossible for individuals to be stay at home parents, kids are often shuffled from school, to after school programs, and they finally go home for a few hours before bed. Often a teacher will be spending more time during the week with a student than their parents are able to and the teacher may be the first person to recognize changes and problems that the student is having. Therefore, it is a teacher’s responsibility to make sure a parent is aware of what is going on in their child’s life. In conclusion, my belief is that the job of a teacher is not only to teach students content, but also to be the best role models they possibly can. The classroom should be a place where students want to come each day to learn. However, learning goes beyond performing well on tests and completing their homework everyday. The job of a teacher is to build a sense of community in the classroom where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and interacting with others. Individuals should be inspired to help and learn from each other everyday. Of course students should be encouraged to follow the rules, but teachers also need to make students aware of the fact that they have a right to speak their minds when they are unhappy with a situation. Helping a student to build good character includes allowing him or her to take risks and ask questions. In exchange, a teacher should always be honest and sincere with his or her students so that these young people can grow to be confident, well-rounded individuals ready to face any challenges that await them in the real world. |