“The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher reveals simplicity.” -Robert Brault

INTRODUCTION

My philosophy is based on my beliefs and the commitments I have with teaching. I am committed to teaching the students the best way I know how with patience, care and understanding.  The foundation of my beliefs comes from my experiences with and understandings of relationships, planning and nature.  The best relationships I have had with teachers as a student and with students as a teacher have been grounded in mutual respect and caring, making learning more meaningful.  When I have experienced a well-planned lesson, either as a student or a teacher, there is structure but things flow well and we learn more.  There is so much to learn being active outside in nature that I feel there is no better place to create a classroom.

RELATIONSHIPS

I am striving to be the teacher that my grade 11 English teacher was for me. She was passionate and energetic but very structured in the way she taught her lessons. This is what inspired me to become an educator and hopefully be inspiring for my future students.  I want my classroom setting to be a place where children are heard and are able to express their opinions openly and without fear.   I will create a classroom that the students will look forward to be in, a learning environment that is educational, fun and engaging.  “Social and emotional skills create responsive, caring, and inclusive classrooms and provide the foundation for building and sustaining learning relationships that lead to academic success and responsible citizenship.” Schonert-Reichl & Hymel 2003. These are the attributes I want to embrace as a teacher.

PLANNING

I feel the most important things that I can teach them are the current issues that are going on today, in their community, in British Columbia, Canada, and North America and worldwide. It will help them develop a better understanding about the world they live in. A good method to use in the beginning of the year is to learn what the student’s interests are, to learn what they know and build lessons or units from there. Engaging the students in planning will help them see the learning outcomes more clearly.  With this in mind I would expect the best quality work over quantity and see them grow in their education. I know I will encounter great and tough days in teaching young students who will look up to me to guide them in the right path. I look forward to the years ahead learning the different types of learners such as; kinetics, visual, and listeners or hands on ways of learning. As a visual learner myself I know and saw some wonderful teachers who teach by using and incorporating all aspects of learning types and styles into their lesson plans. One area I struggle with in my teaching is time management. At times I found there was not enough time to finish my lesson due to other things that interfered in the lesson. I feel this will only get better with more experience.  By knowing this I know it will encourage my students to achieve and believe in themselves to do their very best.

NATURE

Using the natural outdoor environment as a classroom is something that I believe has powerful benefits for people, young and old.  Being outside, experiencing nature and understanding our interconnections with other living things is something I strongly believe must be part of a good education program.  It provides, in abundance hands-on, student-centred, experiential learning. “Indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.” Louv, 2013.  With this in mind I hope to inspire understanding and respect in my students for all living things.   These values of respect and interconnection that I will bring to my classroom are part of the cultural background I have as a First Nations person. I strongly believe that when a student understands who they are and know where they are from helps ground their learning ability and will develop stronger learning outcomes. My grandma always said, “If you know who you are as a Líl̓wat person, and you learn your language and your culture you will succeed in life.” Nelson, 2013.  It is essential to focus on the needs of the students and to develop a foundation for my teaching starting with my own strengths. My strengths are also influenced by the many years of experience I have had in learning, and in teaching horsemanship skills to young learners.  The outdoor environment, whether a garden, a farm or a wilderness setting, provides rich opportunities for inquiry-based learning and collaborative problem-solving!

CONCLUSION

My grade 11 teacher had a profound impact on me and continues to inspire my reflections on teaching and learning.  The memories of her classroom, her caring relationships with students and her thoughtful planning motivate me as I develop my understanding of what matters in teaching.  I want to do all I can for my students and be a person who inspires and is enthusiastic toward teaching. I want to show them how they are connected to the world around them.  I want to: show them that I have high expectations of them; guide them well with carefully scaffolded lessons and enrichment opportunities; and encourage them to do the best they can.

Citations:

Go Ed Teacher Store, 2012, www.goedonline.com/35-motviational-teacher-quotes Quote #27

Louv, Richard, 2013 http://richardlouv.com/

Schonert-Reichl, K & Hymel, S. The Mind Social Emotional Learning for School and Life Success, 2003