Teaching Philosophy

My Teaching Philosophy
One of my biggest strengths is my servant’s heart. I am a giver by nature. I have a desire
to help whoever I can, whenever I can. I not only enjoy doing so, I thrive off of it. I am at my
happiest when I am helping others, especially children. Children, particularly those under eight
years of age, are my favorite population. I love the way they see the world- limitless, full of
adventure and excitement. This palpable energy charges my soul and encourages me to be the
best version of myself. Because of this, when it came to deciding on what profession to pick,
educating children became an obvious choice. I obtained my certification in special education for
two reasons. First, I have a special place in my heart for those who are differently abled. I see
past their diagnosis and have a yearning to understand the student as an individual. I believe they
can not only contribute to our society, but I believe they can make it better. I want to be a part of
that process. Second, by obtaining this certification, I make myself eligible for many
opportunities to help others.
My philosophy of education is that all children are unique and must have a stimulating
educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. It
is my desire to create this type of atmosphere where students can meet their full potential. I will
provide a safe environment that invites students to share their ideas and take risks.
I believe that there are five essential elements that are conducive to learning:
 The teacher's role is to act as a guide
 Students must have access to hands-on activities
 Students should be able to have choices and let their curiosity direct their
learning
 Students need the opportunity to practice skills in a safe environment
 Technology must be strategically placed into the classroom to make learning
transformational.

I see teaching as involving a reciprocal relationship between teachers and students. I

believe that teachers have duties to their students and that students have duties to their teachers. I
believe that it is my responsibility as a teacher to provide students with the following:
 An environment that embraces all learning styles
 Knowledge that will help students be successful in achieving their lives' goals

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 Materials, opportunities, and feedback that supports and encourages learning

 Support in becoming and remaining motivated to be successful both in their studies and
in applying their knowledge to solve problems in their lives
I also believe that my students have duties to me, to their fellow students, and to themselves.
These responsibilities include:
 Tolerant of different points of view and ambiguity
 Prepared for class
 Willing to work hard to complete course activities
 Willing to bring their life experiences into the class to enrich discussions
 Willing to try to apply what they learn in class to solve problems
I am an educator because I want to change the world. I have always had a desire to leave
everything and everyone that I come into contact with better than I found it/them. I know
education is where I can have the greatest impact. I want my students to understand that the p As
future teachers, they can make a difference and their classrooms can be healthy, supportive
environments in which their own students can grow and learn. I wholeheartedly endorse what the
Russian educational psychologist L.S.Vygotsky said about learning - it is socially constructed.
Thus, my students need opportunities to collaborate with each other, respond to others, consider
different points of view, and be part of a cooperative team. Students must have the opportunity to
take responsibility for their learning. I hope this philosophy will encourage may students to
become life-long learners.
I will create situations where students can take charge of what they learn and how it
applies in their classrooms. My goal is to teach the whole person- the cognitive, affective, and
behavioral dimensions of the human being. To achieve a learner-centered classroom, I want to
give my students a voice and a choice in their education. If the teacher is the one who provides
the choices in the curriculum, then the teacher is still directing the learning. Student choice
means students choose how they learn about something they have “wonders” about. One way to
accomplish this personalized learning goal is through project-based learning, I will use PBL so
students can collaborate and produce an end product together. However, to make PBL personal,
the student needs to have a voice in the design of the project and possibly, the process. By letting
students be so involved when it comes to the design and content of their assignment, they will
retain more material and be excited to continue to learn.

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As a teacher, who desires to help nurture and grow my students in every way,
personalized learning is a teaching method that is of upmost importance to me because
personalizing learning builds a strong classroom culture in which environments are flexible, and
instruction is tailored to meet each student where they are. Personalized learning enhances the
role of the teacher in a unique way. Teachers can get to know their students in a deeper and more
meaningful way; building relationships that empower students to own their learning. When
teachers know their students well, they can help students better understand themselves and
become agents of their own learning.
While examining articles on Edutopia, I came across the concept of genius hour and I am
excited to use it in my classroom. Genius hour is a movement that allows students to explore
their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom. In my classroom, I would provide
a set amount of time for the students to work on their passion projects. Students will be
challenged to explore something and create a project or presentation for an authentic audience.
Throughout the process I would facilitate the student projects to ensure that they are on task and
focused on their learning goal.
When researching how to implement this concept in a special needs classroom, I found
very little information. Students with special needs may require some added support, whether
that be choosing a project from a shortened list or completing research under direct guidance.
The point is that, as a teacher, you acknowledge that this will be a challenge and face it head on.
Yes, I would like for the projects to be completed independently, but I have realistic expectation.
It is important to know your students’ individual capabilities and to conference with them
whenever possible. It is easy to get sidetracked, change project topics, or lose work when you are
only working on Genius Hour in short bursts. I would incorporate Genius Hour as quarter-long
project that you work on at least several times a week. Genius Hour is a great way to meet almost
any standard if you are creative enough. For example, Genius Hour could be used to meet the
research writing standard, along with some reference and computer skill standards. Allowing my
students to focus on this project as an actual classroom unit does two things. First, it
demonstrates that Genius Hour is important and part of the classroom curriculum. Second, it
provides a constant reminder of what academic success looks and feels like. It is designed at its
very core to allow all students to be successful. Students with special needs truly need those
successes to stay motivated and continue moving forward academically.