A look in the mirror can reveal your face, but a deeper self
understanding is required to be a teacher. Throughout my time as a
student, ranging from age four until now, I have observed my
teachers, listened to their instruction, and learned from them.
Although mathematics, grammar, history, and the sciences were all
discussed as core topics, I learned much more than just these in my
time as a student. I learned that a good education not only provides
a learner with an understanding of the world past and present, but
also gives them the tools to expand on this knowledge on their own.
A great teacher can do all of this with a positive attitude and a
supportive nature.
I’m not sure when becoming a teacher became a real possibility for
me. I’ve always enjoyed my classes, earned good grades, and helped
tutor my peers who were struggling, but the teaching seed took its
time to grow in me. Some of the desire to teach undoubtedly comes
from my respect for me teachers and professors; a life dedicated to
the betterment of others is honorable and valuable in itself. My
personal yearning to help others and use my gifts also plays a role
as teaching lets me share my knowledge, wisdom, and experiences so
that as I better myself I increase my ability to educate others.
Perhaps most importantly, teaching gives me a chance to never stop
learning, from new research, personal studies, and my students.
As a teacher, I will be given the task of nurturing every student’s
intellect, a powerful and impressive task. To achieve the best
results, a classroom community must allow free motion in the
teaching-learning process. Because each student is different and has
had different experiences, it is not reasonable to expect all
students to learn at the same speed or with the same approach. To
account for these differences, a vast range of activities, teaching
styles, and topics should be presented to all students. A single
approach and narrow-mindedness alienates those students who have
differing needs and interests. A constant change with an overriding
purpose will allow all students to find something they are
interested in, but it will also allow me, as an educator, to learn
what approaches work best for my students so they can learn what is
expected and then go far beyond that.
I have always felt that knowledge is most easily gained from personal experience. In a classroom setting, students attach to each other based on similar experiences, and I have found that a tightly knit classroom yields greater results. While it is necessary for a teacher to create a firm foundation of information; simulations, role-plays, and field experiences stimulate a learner’s mind by presenting real life situations where this foundation of information can be used. These activities immediately reward a student for new knowledge and establish solid and effective problem solving techniques. Discussions of these activities afterwards, both with the teacher at the head of the class, and with students separated into smaller, randomly chosen groups, give the opportunity for all students to see what their peers have learned from a common experience, create room for imaginative dialogue, and can set goals for the next activity.
Although students are different from one another, all are
expected to meet the same standards, whether they are classroom,
school, or state standards. Standard written and oral exams will
always have their place in education and are the most effective for
determining basic comprehension. These exams can be simply graded
with percentages and can prove that expectations are or are not
being met. Where these exams are lacking is in their inability to
explore a student’s differences. I will use simulations and role
plays for each individual student giving positive marks when a
student uses his or her strengths to the benefit of themselves or
the group, displays content knowledge, and shows the ability to use
the knowledge in a practical setting.
A true mark of a good teacher is the ability to get students
asking, “Why?” Developing the thirst for more knowledge and deeper
understanding allows a teacher to take an education outside of a
classroom, beyond the teacher’s reach, and into all aspects of a
child’s life. From here a student can form their own beliefs based
not only on what they have been told but also what they have
discovered.
My personal teaching philosophies most closely reflect
existentialism and progressivism. I believe that an active learning
environment, focusing on a student’s abilities and interests, should
combine with freedom of choice, so a student can take his or her own
route to the desired goal. Only by allowing and encouraging students
to take the responsibility of a learner upon themselves will they
truly appreciate and utilize that which is taught. Because children
in the U.S. are required to go to school, the nation’s future relies
on the quality of the education they are given. It is my task as a
teacher to do my best to make the future bright. In addition to my
philosophies, my humanistic psychological orientation is reflected
in my emphasis on personal responsibility and self-actualization. If
a student knows their strengths and weaknesses, they are more
capable of effective actions and effective use of what has been
taught.
I have never felt completely contented with what I know and will
constantly encourage my students to feel the same way. While there
is a great satisfaction in good grades and passing exams, there is a
special thrill that can only be obtained when a personal goal is
met, new knowledge is obtained, and personal research brings forth
discoveries. I will spend every moment as a teacher sharing my
knowledge, experiences, and insight to nurture every student’s mind
and to give them the tools to be as successful and productive as
possible.
Throughout my life and experiences as a student, I have formed a solid foundation for being an educator. My own never ceasing desire for learning encourages me to share this with others and also to share what I have learned. A teacher must pass on the knowledge of the past and present while never forgetting the importance of the imagination, individuality, and free will. Before the student leaves my class at the end of a school year they will not only have all the tools necessary for success in the present world but will be well equipped to change the future for the better.