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My Teaching Philosophy

As a masters candidate in literacy education, my teaching philosophy as it pertains to

teaching, learning, and curriculum is influenced by a variety of literary theories and practices. By

reflecting upon my own teaching practice and classroom environment, I realize my students

often learn through meaningful hands-on activities that encourage collaboration and socialization

amongst their peers. I realize that my instructional activities are determined and planned based

on my students age of cognitive development. I realize that instructional scaffolding is often

necessary and implemented into my practice. I also realize my frequent use of positive and

negative reinforcements to manage classroom behavior. Each component I have mentioned

blends itself into the way I teach and manage my kindergarteners. The foundation of my teaching

philosophy connects to theorists such as Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, and B.F. Skinner.

Classroom Learning Environment

In my kindergarten classroom, I incorporate a lot of station or center learning where

students are learning through socially meaningful activities. My students love when it is time for

literacy stations, math stations, or science centers. Many of the activities are hands-on and

require students to interact and collaborate with one another in order to accomplish the task.

Rather than sitting at a desk and completing an assignment via pencil and paper, my students

move to various stations set up around the room and engage in learning with one another. The

idea of exposing learners to meaningful hands-on activities relate to Lev Vygotskys socially

meaningful activity theory where learning is directly related to social interactions that occur

within the learning environment (Cobb & Kallus, 2011, p.168). According to Cobb and Kallus

(2011), Vygotskys theory emphasizes that children who are actively constructing knowledge in a

social setting become active and engaged learners. Collaborating and working with others
encourages students to drive their own learning and become active learners. Since children are

naturally curious and seek to make sense of information, collaboration and social interaction is

one of the more effective means in doing so.

Cognitive Development

When planning instructional activities and lessons, I often have to ask myself, Are my

students ready for this concept? By understanding my students cognitive abilities I am able to

appropriately design tasks and activities to best meet students needs in growth and development.

This idea stems from Jean Piagets theory of early learning and child development. According to

Ormrod (2008), Piaget determined that the cognitive ability of children evolve in four distinct

stages: sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal

operational stage. Since I teach kindergarten, my students are in the preoperational stage of

cognitive development. This begins at the early stages of talking to about age seven. It is when

the child can think of things not immediate or from the past, can use symbols to represent

objects, and can physically examine the world around them (Cobb & Kallus, 2011). By

understanding what my students are cognitively able to understand and do, I am able to provide

activities that are grade level appropriate while helping them slowly develop their thought

process in that of the next stage of cognitive development.

Scaffolding Instruction

Additionally, I believe students learn at their zone of proximal development (ZPD). This

stems from Vygotskys most well-known and influential educational philosophy. According to

Tompkins (2010), students learn very little when performing tasks they can already do

independently, therefore he recommends ZPD, a range of tasks between students actual

development level and their potential development. By providing challenging tasks with teacher
scaffolding, more effective learning can take place. As students learn, teacher support will

gradually decrease until students can perform tasks independently. This concept is called

scaffolding. By providing intellectual scaffolding, students are able to learn and progress through

the different stages of development (Borich, 2011). As I scaffold instruction, I ensure that my

students are building upon their experiences while learning through moderately challenging

tasks. By doing so with literacy instruction, I hope for my students to be able to read and write

independently by the time they exit my classroom for first grade.

Positive and Negative Reinforcements

Aside from academics, behavior is an important factor in terms of learning. Behavior

affects childrens interest and motivation, and without either learning tends not to take place.

According to Burke (2000), psychologists named John Watson and Burrhus Frederic Skinner

(B.F. Skinner) introduced behaviorist theories in the 1950s and 1960s that attempted to modify

behavior with reinforcers. Therefore, classroom management strategies such as positive and

negative reinforcements were invented. Positive reinforcements, such as a smile or compliment

when a child accomplishes a task, encourages children to attempt the task again. While negative

reinforcements, such as a time-out or removal of privileges, would encourage students to refrain

from attempting bad behavior again. Cobb and Kallus (2011) explain how this behavior approach

is based on B.F. Skinners theory of operant conditioning where the response follows a stimulus

event in order to establish a pattern of behavior. In my own classroom, I utilize positive

reinforcements such as stickers and snacks on Fridays to encourage my students to be

responsible and respectful. I also utilize negative reinforcements such as time-outs, which I call

reflection time, where the student is required to sit and reflect on their behavior, what they did

wrong, and how to behave appropriately in the future. Personally, I think the use of positive and
negative reinforcers have helped me manage my classroom behavior effectively these past five

years.

Conclusion

As I complete and leave the masters program, I see myself continue educating young

students in the classroom. It has always been my dream to become a teacher and influence future

generations to become literate and useful people of society. Similar to educators needing to

understand the foundations of literacy through theories and philosophies in order to support their

teaching methods and practices, I plan to continue teaching young children the basics and begin

setting the foundations to literacy for their academic success. As of right now, I do not see my

own educational philosophy changing in the near future. I believe that by incorporating a variety

of research-based and theory related practices, my students will show growth in learning and

demonstrate achievement in literacy. That does not mean I wont eventually change my teaching

philosophy. As times change and with research continuously happening, new theories may

develop or be adapted. Being an educator means to continue learning and making instructional

decisions based on these changes. Only time will tell where I go from here.
References

Borich, G. (2011). Effective teaching methods research-based practice. Boston: Pearson

Education.

Burke, K. (2000). What to do with the kid whoDeveloping cooperation, self-discipline, and

responsibility in the classroom. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Cobb, J., & Kallus, M. (2011). Historical, theoretical, and sociological foundations of reading in

the United States. Boston: Pearson Education.

Ormrod, J. (2008). Educational psychology developing learners. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Education.

Tompkins, G. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century a balanced approach. Boston: Pearson

Education.

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