Kaitlyn Coates

EDSE 271
My Philosophy of Education
I found a quote by Robert John Meehan which says that every child has a different style
and pace. Each child is unique, not only capable of learning, but also of succeeding. My
overarching goal as a teacher is for every child to succeed. This may not mean that each child
receives an A or attends Harvard but that in their own goals they succeed. As Mr. Meehan says
every child is different. The first step towards helping a child succeed is to identify their
strengths and weaknesses and setting goals accordingly. For one student it might be to be able to
live independently and another to simply walk through the halls with their head held high. After
appropriate goals are set the next step is helping students work their ways towards it. Richard
Lavoie spoke had an idea on this subject that has stuck with me. He said that you must reward
each step towards progress not just when the prize is won. For some students simply writing their
name on their homework is a huge step towards a goal of getting better grades. Given that each
child is different how you approach their goals is different. Some may need you to simply tell
them their goal and theyve got it covered while others may need you to break down every task
into the base steps theyll need to have mastered. The best way to achieve that is to get to know
your students, be it through spending time with them, assigning work that not only helps them
learn but helps you learn about them (such as drawings or writing you letters). You can also learn
about a student through their family, peers, assessments, and by observing them. Once youve
developed an understanding of a student, then you can help tailor your class to help them
succeed.
Who is the most important person on the journey for student success? In my opinion the
obvious answer is the student. Each student has their own diverse identity with many different
elements (such as their gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion,
age, and ability) that impacts their education along with many others. The first step towards
student success, as discussed from the teacher viewpoint, goals, must also be created with the
student. While it might be my goal for the student to become a physicist, without discussing with
the student, I might never know they want to be a poet. While you might not be able to change
your curriculum so it only covers a students passions (just because they hate algebra doesnt
mean you dont teach it), you can focus lessons on what makes students excited. This might be
allowing them to write their own word problems, choose which books to reach or what writing
prompts to write one. By getting students involved with their own education, you can help them
succeed. A student who has no reason to be at school, who isnt engaged, and who doesnt have
something to work for, wont be motivated to do anything. My goal for my students is for them
to succeed, according to their definition of success. My eventual hope is for students to be able
to set their own goals then be able to achieve them on their own. Students have to be shown how
to develop attainable goals then break down each one into the stages they have to do to attain it.
A teacher should talk through their thought process in everything they do so students one day
understand and create this internal monologue for themselves.

A student is so much more than their GPA or their PARCC scores. In this world of test
after test its easy to lose sight of the purpose of assessment. For me, assessment and grading are
merely a tool. You can look at a test score and see a 15 out of 100 and assume a student didnt
know the material when in reality they didnt understand the question or the format of the exam.
A big step to help with this is to make sure your tests are written to test only what they are
intended to. If you want to check a students level of math comprehension, dont through a ton of
reading into it. If youre checking a students reading comprehension, dont make your tests all
writing based. Assessment should be a tool to look for students areas of weakness and where
they excel, not a judgment of value. One way to help students realize this as well is in how a
teacher explains the results. If a student gets 15/100 then theyve gotten 15 right instead of 85
wrong. This gives them something to celebrate instead of dread. I had a teacher in high school
who said we had three chances to learn: before the exam, during it, and after, and to make the
most out of each opportunity. Many students might need our help in accessing the test, and thats
where including the right accommodations is needed. It might seem counterproductive but you
need to test the students in order to help the students test better. From your initial assessments
(which may not be just exams, but also observations, conversations, and informal testing) you
can identify the needs of the students, which then drive you to set their goals, to then decide on
how you can best serve them (including how to modify their tests). A good assessment can help a
student grow and flourish and succeed while a bad one may condemn a student to academic
hardship. A good test fits the students needs and goals and are used wisely instead of throwing a
one-size-fits all tests in the hopes that it sticks.
Every teacher has their tool box of instructional strategies they can pull out as needed.
One idea that guides instruction is that students learn best when they are truly engaged in what
they are learning, when they have the opportunity to explore, debate, discuss, examine, defend,
and experiment with the concepts and skills they are ready to learn. Instruction as to be
meaningful, challenging, and authentic. The first strategy that I think is important is monitoring
progress. This begins by finding out the students level of current understanding. This can then
be followed by little tests (and activities) that gauge how a student is growing which then
concludes in a bigger exam that can show how far a student has come. If at any point in the
process you realize a student is moving at the pace you had desired each checkpoint gives you
the opportunity to slow down and reteach instead of arriving at the end and realizing that nothing
has been learned. Another great strategy is to add variety in how a student interacts with a
material. A student might not learn best from simply being lectured at and assigned homework. A
great resource to mix things up is other students. By allowing students to work with their
classmates (be it in small groups or with partners), you give them different perspectives and
others to pick their brains. Finally no one would be happy sitting in their desk doing the same
thing all the time. Every student benefits from the ability to get moving. You can incorporate
movement into your classroom through many activities such as skits, and physical movements
that help teach concepts (such a seeing how one idea drives another idea, dancing, or
interactive time lines). This extra movement gets blood flowing, cements ideas, and breaks up
the monotony of class.

As a teacher I believe you have to be a lifelong learner and to grow as a professional. To

do this you must never limit your sources of perspectives, even the ones you might not agree
with. One of my professors mentioned how she stays up to date while working in the special
needs field. She said it was important to her to get to spend time with students in gen ed. She
volunteered at her churchs youth group and taught summer school for regular classes. This gave
her perspective that she was not getting within her own classroom. Another way to diversify your
viewpoints is to either sit in on other teachers or to work alongside them to learn what they know
and see what they see. Of course the obvious way to continue learning is to continue your
education, but it is not the only way. You can grow as a teacher by experiencing and exploring
the diversity your students are engaging with on their daily lives. This might mean sponsoring an
LGBT club, helping out at parent respite as a chance to interact with single parents or those who
live under different circumstances than you. You can even take this growth into your class. You
might have students volunteer within the community or by having awareness days for different
conditions and stations in life. You can also learn a lot from your students themselves and you
have to give them the opportunity to teach you. Give students assignments that allow them to
show who they really are, and then be able to teach you and your class what makes them unique.
Finally, a great way to learn is to get feedback on how you are doing and what you can change.
This might be having students write you anonymous notes, give their input in discussions, or
asking questions. Even a quiz can be a form of feedback, telling you if your teaching is effective
or not. One great example of looking for responses is the name tags one of my teachers passes
out. On the back students are supposed to write down their A-Ha moments. She collects them
at the final but also watches for students taking the notes to see if what shes saying is actually
helping. You can take all these different inputs to become a better teacher. My goal for myself as
a learner is to never be satisfied, to always seek to be better.