Teaching Philosophy
The purpose of a teacher is to provide not just knowledge, but understanding. In order to be a successful teacher, one must not simply rely on lectures, grades, and facts in order to teach a class, but interactions with students. The best teachers are the ones that are available to their students, working with them and helping them, as well as presenting the material in a way that will help the student gain a deeper understanding of the material. As someone who is striving to be the best teacher they can be for their students, it is my main goal to dedicate myself to my students and their understanding of material.
Ever since I decided I wanted to pursue teaching and began to take education courses in high school, I have viewed teaching and interactions with teachers differently, trying to think of how teachers teach and why from a student perspective. Through those classes and now through UTeach, I have been in the position of being a student that is pursuing education, so I can evaluate teaching from both the teacher and student perspective. In high school I would often write down when teachers did something I didn’t agree with, such as if a teacher brushed off a student’s question or idea, and would try to figure out what I would have done instead if I was the teacher. Now that I have been through the UTeach program I know why the methods I did not agree with in high school should not be done, and I know what techniques I as a teacher should use instead. Having this bridge of being both teacher and student as I went through each education course has helped me determine what methods I believe work and why by remembering to always view my lessons from every perspective.
I believe that the best way to engage students in the classroom is through activities where the student has to figure out the problem themselves. This relates to the constructivist theory of learning, where students learn best through solving problems and working with others in order to try and find a solution. This is different from the behaviorist theory, where even if the students are working on hands-on material and visualizing concepts, they are still being directed by the teacher and being conditioned to know how to solve the problem. The constructivist theory is essential because when students have to figure out the problem themselves, it gives them a deeper understanding of not just what they are doing but why it is important. Even if they are not entirely sure how the activity relates to the big picture, being able to thoroughly explain what they are doing to someone else is the first step to them understanding the concept.
In order to best assess learning, I believe that rather than just giving written exams and expecting students to memorize material, students should instead present their findings to the class and explain their reasoning for answering the question a certain way. This is unlike the nature perspective of learning, where it is believed that some students are naturally smart and gifted while other students are naturally not fit to succeed or go to college. My philosophy is instead that even though some students may not be good at taking written exams, it in no way means that they are not smart or should be treated differently than students who are good test takers. Students often understand the material, they just need to be asked deeper probing questions in order to help them explain all aspects of the concept to the teacher. Written exams prove to the teacher that a student can memorize facts, but only when the student is forced to think deeper can the teacher truly see what exactly the student understands.
In order for teachers to help facilitate learning for students, I believe it is crucial that teachers never shut down a student’s idea. Coming up with an idea and asking a question is the very first step to the scientific method that students have been taught since elementary school, and to shut down a question that a student wants to investigate deters the student from wanting to participate in the project at all. Instead, when a student comes up with an idea that may be unattainable in that particular classroom, the teacher should take the student seriously, meet them where they are, and work together to find an attainable goal that will not only spark their interest but also have them learn something new and take the concept to the next level. It is also crucial that teachers let students know that it is ok for them to fail. A lot of pressure is often placed on students by their parents, teachers, and even friends, and it is difficult for them to realize that failure is an important part of both life and science. The entire foundation of science is built on failure because true progress and discovery comes from finding out what went wrong, learning from mistakes, and improving.
Through my various teaching experiences over the past 6 years of teacher shadowing, internships, and UTeach field experiences, it seems that no matter what classroom I am in I always find a student that affects me. Whether their face lights up when they understand a concept or tell me they enjoyed the activity, it always reminds me why I decided to pursue this career. My goal as a teacher is to have a moment like this with as many of my students as possible, hopefully impacting their lives as much as they impact mine.
Ever since I decided I wanted to pursue teaching and began to take education courses in high school, I have viewed teaching and interactions with teachers differently, trying to think of how teachers teach and why from a student perspective. Through those classes and now through UTeach, I have been in the position of being a student that is pursuing education, so I can evaluate teaching from both the teacher and student perspective. In high school I would often write down when teachers did something I didn’t agree with, such as if a teacher brushed off a student’s question or idea, and would try to figure out what I would have done instead if I was the teacher. Now that I have been through the UTeach program I know why the methods I did not agree with in high school should not be done, and I know what techniques I as a teacher should use instead. Having this bridge of being both teacher and student as I went through each education course has helped me determine what methods I believe work and why by remembering to always view my lessons from every perspective.
I believe that the best way to engage students in the classroom is through activities where the student has to figure out the problem themselves. This relates to the constructivist theory of learning, where students learn best through solving problems and working with others in order to try and find a solution. This is different from the behaviorist theory, where even if the students are working on hands-on material and visualizing concepts, they are still being directed by the teacher and being conditioned to know how to solve the problem. The constructivist theory is essential because when students have to figure out the problem themselves, it gives them a deeper understanding of not just what they are doing but why it is important. Even if they are not entirely sure how the activity relates to the big picture, being able to thoroughly explain what they are doing to someone else is the first step to them understanding the concept.
In order to best assess learning, I believe that rather than just giving written exams and expecting students to memorize material, students should instead present their findings to the class and explain their reasoning for answering the question a certain way. This is unlike the nature perspective of learning, where it is believed that some students are naturally smart and gifted while other students are naturally not fit to succeed or go to college. My philosophy is instead that even though some students may not be good at taking written exams, it in no way means that they are not smart or should be treated differently than students who are good test takers. Students often understand the material, they just need to be asked deeper probing questions in order to help them explain all aspects of the concept to the teacher. Written exams prove to the teacher that a student can memorize facts, but only when the student is forced to think deeper can the teacher truly see what exactly the student understands.
In order for teachers to help facilitate learning for students, I believe it is crucial that teachers never shut down a student’s idea. Coming up with an idea and asking a question is the very first step to the scientific method that students have been taught since elementary school, and to shut down a question that a student wants to investigate deters the student from wanting to participate in the project at all. Instead, when a student comes up with an idea that may be unattainable in that particular classroom, the teacher should take the student seriously, meet them where they are, and work together to find an attainable goal that will not only spark their interest but also have them learn something new and take the concept to the next level. It is also crucial that teachers let students know that it is ok for them to fail. A lot of pressure is often placed on students by their parents, teachers, and even friends, and it is difficult for them to realize that failure is an important part of both life and science. The entire foundation of science is built on failure because true progress and discovery comes from finding out what went wrong, learning from mistakes, and improving.
Through my various teaching experiences over the past 6 years of teacher shadowing, internships, and UTeach field experiences, it seems that no matter what classroom I am in I always find a student that affects me. Whether their face lights up when they understand a concept or tell me they enjoyed the activity, it always reminds me why I decided to pursue this career. My goal as a teacher is to have a moment like this with as many of my students as possible, hopefully impacting their lives as much as they impact mine.