My Philosophy of Teaching

By

Daphne Snowden

To live is to learn, and as you learn, always teach!

As I reflect on my life, I have always loved learning and was always drawn
to wisdom. As a result, I developed a habit of surrounding myself with insightful
people who shared their knowledge and encouraged me along the way in
all aspects. Coincidentally, I became just as excited about informing others as I
was about learning. From life lessons to academics, a passion for sharing with
others what was given to me grew more and more as I got older. I have an
innate desire to help people, encourage people, and to speak life into dead
situations. My innate desire to enlighten others has ultimately led me down
the path of becoming a formal educator, as I have always been a teacher by
nature.
In the beginning, my teaching came in the form of advice due to my
consistently being sought out for counsel by my peers as well as those younger
and much older than me. As a result, I chose psychology during my
undergraduate studies because it correlated with a natural gift I wanted to
develop. Along the way, I became a substitute teacher for the Fayette County
School System, and on my first day, I came across some profound words that
summed it all up for me.
 A Successful Teacher Needs:
The education of a college president,
The executive ability of a financer,
The humility of a deacon,
The adaptability of a chameleon,
The hope of an optimist,
The courage of a hero,
The wisdom of a serpent,
The gentleness of a dove,
The patience of Job,
The grace of God,
And the persistence of the devil!
This is my philosophy of teaching. Theology and Philosophy are the
fathers of Psychology. In its early stages, psychology was the study of the mind
and soul. However, in more modern times, psychology is merely the study of
the mind. I believe that both the mind and soul must be explored in order
to really reach a person. You cannot be successful in understanding one
without acknowledging the other. You have to be able to speak to the soul of a
person in order to lift their spirit, which will then, and only then, allow you to
develop a connection and ultimately trust that gives you access to shaping the
mind of any being.
In this day and age, we spend so much more time with computers and
other forms of technology than we do with people, and it has subsequently
made many, if not most, robotic, disconnected, and literally out of touch with
human beings. I seek to become a change agent by counteracting this new
paradigm. I am aware of the importance of recognizing that my students, in all
aspects, are much more than the statistics gathered through test scores. I will,
in turn, nurture the whole person by being sensitive to what they are feeling,
how they learn, what they need, and ultimately empower them with the tools
they need to be successful and prosper in life.