Claim: My teaching philosophy has become more student-oriented.
Support: My original and revised Teaching Philosophy and discussion of similarities and differences.
Support: My original and revised Teaching Philosophy and discussion of similarities and differences.
The most effective instruction for the special-needs students that I teach are lessons/tasks that involve manipulatives and real life activities. In my classroom, these tasks/activities are often presented in an independent way using the TEACCH program with the workstations approach, once an understanding of the concept is in place. Such independent activities help the students engage in and take ownership of the key concepts being taught. The tasks that I have chosen have reflected the Interpretation and Application of the Six Facets (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, pp. 164-165). As the students reflect on prior knowledge and problem solve to complete a task, they are able to “transfer what they learned in one lesson and apply it in another related but different situation” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p.40). This requires the students to demonstrate useful insight of the key ideas that they have acquired, not just plug in information that has been memorized. Using activities that promote the Interpretation and Application of what we are learning allows my students to transfer knowledge to another situation in an analytical way. Effective learning is applying previous knowledge with new knowledge in order to analyze and find answers to new problems independently. Therefore, performance tasks that are centered upon the Six Facets of Understanding encourage higher levels of thinking and independent continuous learning.
First, I would like to say that I have learned the difference between claiming a teaching philosophy and having one. Anyone can claim to have a philosophy that most likely comes from information borrowed or handed down. However, to take ownership of a personal philosophy that is successful requires one to draw from past and present experiences, good or bad, and to transform those experiences into learning. My original teaching philosophy was a product of my own personal experiences as a mother, an Educational Assistant, and a Miami student. I started my teaching career later in life, and a lot of the knowledge I had gained came from being a mother and advocate for my two children in the educational system. Being on both sides of the spectrum, as a parent, and in the role of an educator assistant, enabled me to recognize the importance of being a credible support and resource for the guardians, as well as, a strong advocate for the student. As an educator now, I see the importance of establishing strong relationships with the students, their families, and colleagues; any member of the team.
Rather than building on personal experience, it is obvious that my original philosophy was speaking from a textbook, even though I did not have any support cited throughout the entire work. Now, that I have been teaching for four years, I have learned what it means to advocate for my students and what reasonable expectations mean. My current philosophy supports an environment that is student oriented, individualized, and centered around the needs of my students.
Original Teaching Philosophy
As a mom of two boys, and one on an IEP, I have had to take an active role in guaranteeing the success of their educational experience. I understand what it means to enter a meeting scared, confused and unsure about what steps to take for the benefit of my child. From my experience, most teachers did not understand the need to listen to a desperate mom, or to explain why my child needed an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and what being on an IEP even meant. I plan to make a difference for families that are in need of someone to bridge the gap between failure and success for their child.
To be an outstanding teacher you need to be an enthusiastic, caring, educator who believes that all children can learn given the appropriate environment and learning opportunity. Maintaining flexibility in intensive situations with a positive attitude among students and peers is a valuable asset for any teacher to have. It is also important to utilize teamwork, creativity, current technology resources, and to be research driven. Having the exceptional ability to establish rapport and personal connection with students and their families is a must. An exceptional teacher will provide individualized and extracurricular support for students who are struggling with learning concepts through differentiated instruction; differentiation should be supportive for struggling students, as well as, challenging for higher achievers. One of the most important aspects of a teacher is to engage in continuous collaboration with fellow teachers, the IEP team, and parents.
As an educator, it is important to implement a curriculum that is supportive of the individual needs of each student, yet allows the students to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning. These methods have proven to give students a sense of personal pride and confidence; knowing that they can accomplish and achieve goals with great success. Part of that success comes from well-planned lessons that produce a foundation of knowledge to build upon. Learning is a progressive accomplishment that builds block upon block. As students learn they keep adding to what they already know and build upon that. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that learning is a continuous life-long process.
Current Philosophy
I teach to be an advocate for all students, especially the students who may not have anyone to support them and fight for them in the mainstream setting. One of the most important elements of being an effective advocate is to create strong healthy relationships with the right people. Established relationships bring helpful knowledge about the student’s opinions, interests, and personal experiences along with a level of trust into the learning environment. The teacher carries a responsibility to provide opportunities that will create a healthy relationship between the student's family and the school, in an effort to construct a successful educational plan. The parent or guardian should be equally involved with the student and teacher to develop a plan for learning/behavior improvement. Another important relationship is the teacher/student relationship, which must extend beyond the classroom and reflect the expectations of the teacher. Expectations should be presented in a clear and concise manner. The relationship should also model character and mutual respect based on the student’s individual needs. Benjamin Zander’s (2002) reflection of “Tanya’s Bow” models this type of relationship when he describes his moment of breakthrough with a student, “because once she and I were in relationship, I too could be fully present” (Zander, 2002, p. 38). Cultivating a relationship with the students will develop an atmosphere of trust and willingness to try new learning experiences that are unfamiliar or different. As creatures of habit, we adults do not like change, or unfamiliar territory. Children are no different than we are. Healthy relationships also depend upon constructive collaboration of everyone that is involved in the education of the child. Such meetings should always be sensitive to the different cultural and diverse parties represented. A person of interest will be much more willing to participate if he/she feels respected and wanted. I try to remember that I can always learn from my students as much as I am teaching them.
As McCoy (2008) mentioned in the “ABC’s of Educational Leadership,” we need to be “real time” teachers. (McCoy, 2008) A “real time” teacher measures personal growth by collecting and analyzing data in the form of personal assessments as well as, student assessments on a regular basis. (McCoy, 2008) One way to effectively accomplish personal growth is to collect data by keeping a daily journal of teaching strategies, experiences, and decisions made in the classroom. Those strategies and decisions should be compared to the work of other colleagues and scientifically proven strategies. The efforts of personal reflection will give opportunities for future growth and adjustments on a regular basis. Collecting useful data about student knowledge and/or performance depends on the ability to utilize the appropriate assessment that fits the student’s level of performance and the desired outcome. Data collection allows for consistent improvement in our current teaching strategies and will better prepare our students for a constantly changing world. Consistent data collection is an important aspect for continual growth in the classroom.
Most importantly, I teach to make a difference in the lives of all my students. Not only do I believe that all students can learn, I also believe that all students have a purpose for what they learn. I can name a handful of teachers who went beyond the call of duty when I reflect on both of my sons’ educational experience, as well as my own. Those teachers made all the difference in our success as a person, not just as a student, but in a personal way. I am the kind of teacher that my students can approach when they need support with an academic issue or a personal issue. I greet them everyday at the door with a smile that says"you are welcome here" and "I care." We must model the kind of character and accountability we want our students to possess. I saw learning become a reality for my boys when they took ownership for what they were learning and became accountable for it. One of the most beneficial aspects of learning is to take ownership of what you learn and to be accountable for what you do with it. If I can teach my students to take ownership in what they do with the life-long knowledge that they gain, then I have successfully made a difference in the life of a child.
Rather than building on personal experience, it is obvious that my original philosophy was speaking from a textbook, even though I did not have any support cited throughout the entire work. Now, that I have been teaching for four years, I have learned what it means to advocate for my students and what reasonable expectations mean. My current philosophy supports an environment that is student oriented, individualized, and centered around the needs of my students.
Original Teaching Philosophy
As a mom of two boys, and one on an IEP, I have had to take an active role in guaranteeing the success of their educational experience. I understand what it means to enter a meeting scared, confused and unsure about what steps to take for the benefit of my child. From my experience, most teachers did not understand the need to listen to a desperate mom, or to explain why my child needed an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and what being on an IEP even meant. I plan to make a difference for families that are in need of someone to bridge the gap between failure and success for their child.
To be an outstanding teacher you need to be an enthusiastic, caring, educator who believes that all children can learn given the appropriate environment and learning opportunity. Maintaining flexibility in intensive situations with a positive attitude among students and peers is a valuable asset for any teacher to have. It is also important to utilize teamwork, creativity, current technology resources, and to be research driven. Having the exceptional ability to establish rapport and personal connection with students and their families is a must. An exceptional teacher will provide individualized and extracurricular support for students who are struggling with learning concepts through differentiated instruction; differentiation should be supportive for struggling students, as well as, challenging for higher achievers. One of the most important aspects of a teacher is to engage in continuous collaboration with fellow teachers, the IEP team, and parents.
As an educator, it is important to implement a curriculum that is supportive of the individual needs of each student, yet allows the students to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning. These methods have proven to give students a sense of personal pride and confidence; knowing that they can accomplish and achieve goals with great success. Part of that success comes from well-planned lessons that produce a foundation of knowledge to build upon. Learning is a progressive accomplishment that builds block upon block. As students learn they keep adding to what they already know and build upon that. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that learning is a continuous life-long process.
Current Philosophy
I teach to be an advocate for all students, especially the students who may not have anyone to support them and fight for them in the mainstream setting. One of the most important elements of being an effective advocate is to create strong healthy relationships with the right people. Established relationships bring helpful knowledge about the student’s opinions, interests, and personal experiences along with a level of trust into the learning environment. The teacher carries a responsibility to provide opportunities that will create a healthy relationship between the student's family and the school, in an effort to construct a successful educational plan. The parent or guardian should be equally involved with the student and teacher to develop a plan for learning/behavior improvement. Another important relationship is the teacher/student relationship, which must extend beyond the classroom and reflect the expectations of the teacher. Expectations should be presented in a clear and concise manner. The relationship should also model character and mutual respect based on the student’s individual needs. Benjamin Zander’s (2002) reflection of “Tanya’s Bow” models this type of relationship when he describes his moment of breakthrough with a student, “because once she and I were in relationship, I too could be fully present” (Zander, 2002, p. 38). Cultivating a relationship with the students will develop an atmosphere of trust and willingness to try new learning experiences that are unfamiliar or different. As creatures of habit, we adults do not like change, or unfamiliar territory. Children are no different than we are. Healthy relationships also depend upon constructive collaboration of everyone that is involved in the education of the child. Such meetings should always be sensitive to the different cultural and diverse parties represented. A person of interest will be much more willing to participate if he/she feels respected and wanted. I try to remember that I can always learn from my students as much as I am teaching them.
As McCoy (2008) mentioned in the “ABC’s of Educational Leadership,” we need to be “real time” teachers. (McCoy, 2008) A “real time” teacher measures personal growth by collecting and analyzing data in the form of personal assessments as well as, student assessments on a regular basis. (McCoy, 2008) One way to effectively accomplish personal growth is to collect data by keeping a daily journal of teaching strategies, experiences, and decisions made in the classroom. Those strategies and decisions should be compared to the work of other colleagues and scientifically proven strategies. The efforts of personal reflection will give opportunities for future growth and adjustments on a regular basis. Collecting useful data about student knowledge and/or performance depends on the ability to utilize the appropriate assessment that fits the student’s level of performance and the desired outcome. Data collection allows for consistent improvement in our current teaching strategies and will better prepare our students for a constantly changing world. Consistent data collection is an important aspect for continual growth in the classroom.
Most importantly, I teach to make a difference in the lives of all my students. Not only do I believe that all students can learn, I also believe that all students have a purpose for what they learn. I can name a handful of teachers who went beyond the call of duty when I reflect on both of my sons’ educational experience, as well as my own. Those teachers made all the difference in our success as a person, not just as a student, but in a personal way. I am the kind of teacher that my students can approach when they need support with an academic issue or a personal issue. I greet them everyday at the door with a smile that says"you are welcome here" and "I care." We must model the kind of character and accountability we want our students to possess. I saw learning become a reality for my boys when they took ownership for what they were learning and became accountable for it. One of the most beneficial aspects of learning is to take ownership of what you learn and to be accountable for what you do with it. If I can teach my students to take ownership in what they do with the life-long knowledge that they gain, then I have successfully made a difference in the life of a child.
References
McTighe, Jay, and Grant P. Wiggins. (2004). Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Zander, R. & Zander, B. (2002). The Art of Possibility. London: Penquin Books Ltd.
McCoy, A. (2008). The ABCs of Educational Leadership [Video].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com
McTighe, Jay, and Grant P. Wiggins. (2004). Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Zander, R. & Zander, B. (2002). The Art of Possibility. London: Penquin Books Ltd.
McCoy, A. (2008). The ABCs of Educational Leadership [Video].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com