February 10, 2016

Philosophy of Teaching by Maggie Gleason

I believe that the purpose of teaching is to guide children in growing and developing
academically, emotionally, and socially as well as instill a lifelong love of learning. Through education
students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to lead a successful future and be productive
members of our society. I envision a classroom community in which each students individual needs are
met, and where they are encouraged to achieve to their highest potential.
In order for students to be motivated and reach their potential, a teacher must make a diligent
effort to build strong relationships with students and their families. When educators and parents can act
as a partnership, they can collectively work to cultivate the whole child, including their emotional, social,
mental, and physical development. Through our partnership, I will also understand the childs strengths
and areas for improvement so that I can capitalize on their strengths in the classroom and push them to
persevere through areas of struggle. I believe that all children can learn, and I will hold each of my
students to high expectations. Teaching does not only take place in the classroom, but is part of a wider
school and community. As a teacher, I will make an effort to be a part of the community in which I teach
in order to understand the community culture, as well as the issues my students may face.
Behind successful student learning is effective instructional planning. In my planning, I will
differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of my individual students. It is important to consider the
background knowledge of your students and what they bring to the classroom, so that you can
intentionally scaffold learning. I will also use a variety of approaches such as inquiry-based instruction,
and adhere to multiple learning modalities. Cooperative learning is an integral part of encouraging selfdiscovery and hands-on learning. Students are motivated through constructs such as voice and choice,
understanding their learning targets, and transparent connections to the wider scope of why they should
learn that specific concept or skill. Teachers should also make content relevant to their students real lives,
and form those connections with students. Through the use of research-based methods, constructs of

motivation, knowing my students interests, needs, and backgrounds, I will plan my lessons with clear
intention.
My classroom will reflect a community of learners who work hard, encourage each other, and
where each student feels comfortable and safe. In order to develop such a community, I will follow a
democratic classroom model. Students will take part in the development of our classroom expectations
and jobs. Through culturally relevant pedagogy, students will feel valued and respected, and therefore
able to take risks in their learning and partake in rich discussions.
As a means of constant reflection on the effectiveness of my teaching, I will use frequent
assessment to guide my instruction. This involves careful observation of students thinking, performance
assessments, multiple formative assessments throughout a lesson, as well as analyzing the patterns in
traditional or summative assessments. Assessment is not only a monitor of students development, but a
measure of a teachers effectiveness. Students will be given frequent feedback in order to monitor their
own progress and develop their individual goals.
As I continue to grow and develop as an educator, my philosophy on teaching will likely be
molded and changed as well. However, my identity as a teacher will always reflect what I believe about
children, which is that each child has the potential to become something great. No matter where I end up
teaching, it will be both a challenging and rewarding experience knowing that I am guiding a child
through learning, growing, and self-discovery. Schools are in need of teachers who foster a culturally
responsive environment and believe in the potential of every student. By building relationships with my
students, acting as a support system, and working to promote an environment where students feel
encouraged and successful, I hope to provide them with a remarkable teacher like those whom I was once
inspired by.