At the beginning of the year, I thought that creating an inclusive classroom was the most important attribute of my teaching philosophy. After (briefly!) teaching at a secondary school in North Vancouver, I believe that this philosophy plays an integral role in any classroom, but what is most important to me is building strong teacher-student relationships. I was shocked at the differentiation between high school students, mainly because when I was a secondary student I existed in a very tight bubble (close friends, accelerated subject groups, team sports, etc.) and did not go out of my way to meet new students. Now, as a teacher candidate, you are responsible for every single student, and each one has a very unique life story to tell. My favorite part of teaching (so far!) has been getting to know students at a more personal level, simply because I like hearing about what makes them tick, and am genuinely interested in what they do (both in and out of a school context). At first, I was a little apprehensive of getting to know individual students, namely because teachers are supposed to conduct themselves in a very professional manner, but I feel as though I am too empathetic to put myself on a pedestal and ignore all the factors that make up an individual. I strongly feel that as I get to know my students better, I can tailor my lessons and the curriculum to better suit their needs, and also be more respectful of their lives (for example, if I know half the class is away for a choir trip, I’ll try my best to not schedule too much homework for that trip). Furthermore, building strong relationships helps me foster inclusive and encouraging classroom environments in many different ways. First, I feel as though stress and anxiety levels decrease, because students are more comfortable expressing themselves to me and their classmates. Second, I believe learning is enhanced because students are less willing to dabble if they feel their instructor truly cares about them. This point relates to a final attribute of my teaching philosophy, which is respect is paramount in the classroom. This is not simply teacher-student respect (and visa versa), but also student-student respect. Very few things get me fired up as much as an individual (student or otherwise) disrespecting another. When I interact with students at a personal level, and incorporate these ideas into my classroom, they are more likely to respect both me and each other. I feel it is necessary to incorporate strong teacher-student relationships, foster inclusive classroom environments, and build respect in the classroom, all of which form the core of my teaching philosophy.
Adventures in Teaching and Life