Teaching Philosophy:
The ability to be a good teacher often comes naturally, however the ability to become a great teacher takes drive plenty of hard work. For as long as i can remember, working with children has been my passion, and it wasn't until i worked at a summer camp did i realize that teaching was a realistic career path for myself. The children that i had the pleasure of working with each day were often labeled negatively by the camp members and quite often, were shuffled around from counselor to counselor. Autism and ADD were conditions that were new to me, but i can remember perusing new ways and techniques to make sure their time at camp was not only feasible, but also enjoyable. What made the largest impact was giving these children choice in how they could spend their day. THey were able to virtually manage their disorders themselves without even realizing they were doing so. One camper in particular refused to participate in daily scheduled activities such as flag football or writing stories, and when he was forced to play with the others, an altercation soon followed. Sitting down with him, i soon realized he loved to do crafts, especially making bracelets out of string. The following week i brought a bag full of beads and string and handed them to him. He immediately changed his demeanor and was engaged in an activity that made him happy and content, and although he was separate from the other campers at times, he was fine with that, and soon, more and more children joined him in bracelet making, sparking new conversations and new friendships.
I often tell this story to peers because it truly opened my eyes to the responsibilities a teacher has. We are powerful forces in the classroom and can change the way students feel about a subject or activity. I strongly believe in the new aged teaching methods, like Best Practice. I emphasize implementing choice into the classroom because i have seen the power it has over children who are so often given scheduled and specific requirements. When we take the backseat in the classroom and become more of a facilitator then an instructor we are often stigmatized as being unmotivated or "lightening the load," but in retrospect we are actually putting ourselves in a very venerable position; allowing our students to be trusted in leading discussions and essentially creating their own outcomes. I also believe in incorporating "metacognition" into the classroom. Or in other words creating an environment where students are not only participating but understanding the ways in which they think and discussing how that alters or adds to specific discussions or outcomes. My biggest hurdle to overcome, is creating a workplace for myself and my students that contributes to positive growth and confidence. I strongly believe that writing is a process and each step can continuously be improved upon. Revision is key to being successful and what i've discovered throughout my years as a student, there truly is no wrong way to revise, as long as improvements are seen throughout. Teaching grammar and practical writing skills, in my opinion are best implemented through writing itself. Forcing worksheets and drill after drill down a students throat will only result in short term "memorization," not long term effective learning.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" - Nelson Mandela
I often tell this story to peers because it truly opened my eyes to the responsibilities a teacher has. We are powerful forces in the classroom and can change the way students feel about a subject or activity. I strongly believe in the new aged teaching methods, like Best Practice. I emphasize implementing choice into the classroom because i have seen the power it has over children who are so often given scheduled and specific requirements. When we take the backseat in the classroom and become more of a facilitator then an instructor we are often stigmatized as being unmotivated or "lightening the load," but in retrospect we are actually putting ourselves in a very venerable position; allowing our students to be trusted in leading discussions and essentially creating their own outcomes. I also believe in incorporating "metacognition" into the classroom. Or in other words creating an environment where students are not only participating but understanding the ways in which they think and discussing how that alters or adds to specific discussions or outcomes. My biggest hurdle to overcome, is creating a workplace for myself and my students that contributes to positive growth and confidence. I strongly believe that writing is a process and each step can continuously be improved upon. Revision is key to being successful and what i've discovered throughout my years as a student, there truly is no wrong way to revise, as long as improvements are seen throughout. Teaching grammar and practical writing skills, in my opinion are best implemented through writing itself. Forcing worksheets and drill after drill down a students throat will only result in short term "memorization," not long term effective learning.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" - Nelson Mandela