Overview of My Philosophy
My philosophy of education has a strong basis in my own varied experiences in classrooms, as both teacher and student. It is rooted in my belief that education is about discovering and fostering the skills and passions of students. Another strong belief I have in education, is in the fact that context plays a huge role in it. The context of my students, my classroom, and myself are all factors in my teaching philosophy. Finally, I believe in the importance of balance in all aspects of education. A balance between skill and knowledge. A balance between student and teacher led instruction. A balance between subject areas.
My Students
I firmly believe that all students are on their own learning journey. That they bring with them their own specific set of skills, knowledge, and passions. Spending time to understand the context of each and every one of my students is a huge part of me as a teacher. I need to know where they’ve been and where they are now in order to help them move forward in their learning journey.
Once I have learned about the context of my students I aim to incorporate their skills, knowledge, and passions into our daily classroom life. I firmly believe that everything from video games to fairies are valuable knowledge bases and passions that can be used to engage my students in learning.
“Education needs to work by pull, not push.” — Charles Leadbeater
My Classroom
My classroom will be open, bright, and adaptable. My hope is to have a variety of seating options (everything from lap desks to tables) to reflect the variety of learners present. The openness is required for the open discussion and group work that will be regular parts of my classroom.
Technology is a huge asset in education. The widespread availability of internet and personal devices has changed the nature of education. Information and knowledge are so readily accessible that I believe it is now more important to teach students the skills to effectively retrieve and critique their information sources. Technology is just another tool to be used in balance with others when teaching.
“Education + technology = hope” — Charles Leadbeater
My Role as a Teacher
As a teacher I believe my role to be that of a mentor. I am not all-knowing and pretending to do so goes against my beliefs. I strive to make my own thinking and learning as clear as possible to my students. My teaching style has been said to be high both in nurturing and apprenticeship.
“The most effective educators are great witnesses, supporters, and structure-providers, but not answer-suppliers.” – Sugata Mitra