Learning theories define and guide our personal philosophy of teaching or HOW we teach based on how we believe people learn. Which one resonates with you at this point in time?
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I believe that every student is an individual and should be treated as such. I’m sure we’ve all heard the quote, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”, because we’re all individuals. All students have their own unique and personal story, one that cannot be compared to any other child in a classroom. This goes the same for learning styles. Each child learns, develops, and progresses on their own timeline. It is not fair to hold every child to the same standard and expect the whole class to progress at the same pace. This concept of a classroom standard is unrealistic. Children have their own learning styles which help them learn and digest information. It is unfair to think that two children think and learn alike. Which is why I will teach to all the individual students in the class using techniques that can reach them all. Whether they’re kinetic learners, audio learners, or more mathematical learners, I will teach students in these various methods to meet the individual needs of each child in my classroom.
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Along with multiple intelligences, the classroom is full of diversity when it comes to background, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, and culture. How we teach this range of students is critical. Every child needs to feel that they are included, welcomed, and safe in their learning environment. They need to feel accepted and appreciated while in the classroom amongst their peers. It will be my duty to see to it that all students, regardless of their background, feels at home and excited about their education in my classroom and the prospect of learning new things every day. I want my students to learn because they are excited to learn, and not just teach because that it my job. I want to ignite a lasting curiosity for learning in my students and make education fun again. I want to encourage exploration, investigation, critical thinking and problem solving skills in all my students. I want them to work together and implement Project Based Learning activities in my classroom which will teach them life skills and will be a tool for them in their future. More importantly, I want my students to be excited about coming to school and full of stories and new information to share with their families at the end of the day.
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Curriculum is defined as WHAT we want children to KNOW and be able to DO. What content we choose to teach is greatly impacted by HOW we believe children learn. Share your thoughts about this aspect of teaching.
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I think what makes teaching difficult is relating it back to real life. Students may not see the relevance of learning about pollination and the life of bees until they can see why it is a huge part of our human existence. If we simply teach material to meet state standards, we are not doing our job as teachers. But if we teach to get students to learn and invest in their education, we are on the right track. I want students to learn how to ask the right questions. How to spark curiosity in their educational journey and be able to think critically and work together to solve problems. I want my students to collaborate, investigate, assign tasks, take on leadership roles, ask each other questions, make predictions, research and get excited about learning. I believe all students are capable of learning math, English, social science, history, etc…. but this information alone won’t help them in the real world. If they know how to collaborate, find new ways of processing or learning information, identify their strengths and weaknesses, reflect on decision making and have the ability to think critically, be able to take suggestions and remain open minded then they will have success in their future. This is what I want to teach my students, not just the basics or what the state wants us to teach, but what students need to learn as the future generation.
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Assessment determines HOW we know what children know and can do. How do we make their thinking visible to themselves and others? What assessments do you believe to be most effective?
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Progress over perfection would be my approach to assessing students. Sure there will be students who surpass perfection and those who will fall quite short. But we can’t expect to hold such a diverse group of students to the same standard. Students come from different home lives, different cultures, different language backgrounds, etc…. It is unrealistic to expect all students to have the best nutrition, the perfect amount of the sleep, immense parental support at home, and plenty of money for clothes and food. The priorities of all students will never be the same. This is why it is unfair to hold them to the same standards. Who cares about acing a test when your mom just went to jail again? Why worry about S.T.A.R testing when you live in a car? I will never treat my students as if they are alike. This is where relationships come into play and the critical importance of knowing each and every child in the classroom. As a future teacher, I plan to have a good relationship with each student and have them know that I will always be their support system, regardless of poor behavior and low performance. All children need a cheerleader in their lives and I plan to be that person. So I will never assign too much homework, I will never shame a child for not knowing the answer, I will never call on a student who has anxiety about performing in front of an audience, and I will never do anything to damage a child’s self-esteem. I will do my best to find ways to assess students as individuals and document their progress and growth.
