Personal Philosophy of Teaching Essay

Personal Philosophy of Teaching Essay

I believe that learning is a process, a lifelong process. Albert Einstein once said that education is what remains after all that you learned in school is forgotten. I believe education is not only what I teach my student in class; education extends beyond the classroom walls. While delivering content, I strive to ensure that I expound on the learning material as much as possible, include real-life examples that my students can relate to, making them think outside the learning material, and have extensive knowledge of the content. I make my students understand that learning is a life-long process. We learn every day, and successful learning is an opportunity to learn more through the application of the things learned, observation, and experience.

Learning is a process. Successful and effective learning ideally leads to change, enhances the student’s performance, and prepares them for more learning in the future. Evidence of change in learning is seen in attitude, behavior and the application of knowledge acquired. The best way to impact my students is through role modeling rather than trying to change them to b like myself. Students are more likely to be influenced by how I think and apply the knowledge I teach and thus get a reflection of me in them. My responsibility is to instill good morals and values in my student as I teach. I appreciate that every student is different and has diverse abilities; the strengths and weaknesses differ from one student to another. I embrace my students’ different abilities and work with them to address their weaknesses in learning and develop their strengths.

My overall goal as an instructor is to remain relevant in teaching, help my students discover their strengths and abilities, and use them to achieve their learning goals. Teaching, especially one subject, over a long time can become routine. As a person who likes to explore new skills and abilities, I strive to develop my teaching skills by exploring new methods and making lessons I have taught over and over again new and exciting. Other goals include mentoring students to be intrinsically motivated to learn and become better versions of themselves.

The method of teaching that I use most is student-centered learning and teaching. Research shows that student-centered learning and teaching are effective in developing learners’ abilities and skills (Soubra et al., 2022). It encompasses friendly, open, and interactive learning sessions, allowing students to express themselves. My preferred teaching strategies are teaching from known to unknown and allowing my students to learn through discovery. Teaching from what the students already know and adding new concepts helps them connect the concepts easily and prevents them from forgetting the new concept (Reid & Heck, 2022). As a student, I learned the learning-by-discovery teaching strategy from one of my teachers. I remember he would start every session with a problem, which we were supposed to solve by the end of the sessions. He would give us time to internalize the problem before he starts teaching and asks us to think about it as the learning content is delivered. By the end of the session, the students have not only learned the intended concept but also how it can be applied in different situations.

The above-mentioned teaching method and strategies are effective since they promote student creativity, enhance a better understanding of the concept of learning, and increase the interaction between my students and me. The method and strategies facilitate students learning by giving them a chance to express themselves and develop knowledge based on what they already know. Furthermore, I facilitate learning by creating an enriching learning environment through appropriate classroom management and time management and engaging my students in a safe, interactive, and friendly manner.

In conclusion, effective learning requires the input of the teacher and the student. Using the appropriate teaching methods and strategies, the teacher can motivate the students and prepare them for lifelong learning. My philosophy of teaching is what makes me an outstanding teacher.

 

References

Reid, T., & Heck, R. H. (2020). Examining Reading Growth Profiles among Children of Diverse Language Backgrounds Using Known and Unknown Approaches. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 25(3), 225-250. https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2019.1704627

Soubra, L., Al-Ghouti, M. A., Abu-Dieyeh, M., Crovella, S., & Abou-Saleh, H. (2022). Impacts on Student Learning and Skills and Implementation Challenges of Two Student-Centered Learning Methods Applied in Online Education. Sustainability, 14(15), 9625. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159625

This week, you will develop your personal philosophy of teaching in a written statement, articulating your beliefs about important educational theories and practices. Your teaching philosophy should be based on what is meaningful to you in your approach to teaching.

Note: As your experiences and beliefs about teaching grow and change, your philosophy will also change. Therefore, at the end of this course, you will submit your revised teaching philosophy with a brief discussion of how your philosophy has changed or developed during this course.

There is no right or wrong way to write a personal teaching philosophy. However, for the purpose of this assignment, please follow the assignment guidelines below to connect your beliefs, goals, and strategies into a coherent approach to help students learn and grow.

Assignment Guidelines

Philosophy Paper Requirements

The paper should be 2–4 pages, typed in Times New Roman using 12-point font, and double-spaced with 1\” margins.
Use a first person narrative and present tense.
Write sincerely, uniquely, and memorably. Avoid clichés, jargon, and technical terms.
Include specific (not abstract) ideas, using 1–2 concrete examples, whether actual or anticipated experiences.
Show humility and mention students enthusiastically.
Include your conception of how learning occurs.
Communicate your goals as an instructor.
Include actual or anticipated teaching strategies and methods.
Include justification for why you teach (or anticipate teaching) the way you do.
Include a brief discussion of how your teaching (or anticipated teaching) facilitates student learning.
Include a conclusion.
To assist you in developing your teaching philosophy, you may choose to include any or all of the following:

Famous quotes
Your personal experiences as a learner
Your views of the educational system
Your interest in new types of teaching and learning
What you think students should expect from you as a teacher
How you know your goals for students are being met
How you create (or anticipate creating) an engaging or enriching learning environment, and specific activities or exercises to engage your students