regardless of their varying learning levels and abilities. I have high expectations for my students and truly care about them learning the material I am teaching, so I put in the extra effort to plan activities that are meaningful, engaging, and applicable to their lives.
I realize students learn at different rates and have different learning styles. When designing a lesson, I consider how I could differentiate it to meet the varied needs of my students. This differentiation could be providing additional support to struggling students or by having them complete a different activity at their level. Extension activities are provided to challenge my higher achieving students to extend their thinking. I utilize a variety of participation structures including whole group discussions, small group/partner activities, and individual assignments.
Establishing positive relationships with my students is one of my main priorities as a teacher. I want to get to know my students so I can develop a strong connection with them. The best classroom environment is one that makes students feel comfortable, welcome, and valued. I greet my students with a smile each morning and take the time to get to know their interests and backgrounds. I invite them to eat lunch with me so we can have a chance to talk and get to know each other better. I focus on their positive behaviors and achievements so I can cheer them on as they work toward their goals. This knowledge about my students makes it easier for me to design lessons that are engaging and meaningful for them.
sure my ideas about best practices in education will evolve as time passes, but I am certain my students will always be my number one motivation to become a better educator.
I have learned a lot in the first few years of my teaching career through experiences in the classroom. I have also learned a great deal about how to be a better teacher through the courses I’ve taken at Michigan State University for my Master of Arts in Education (MAED). I understand that I still have a lot to learn about what it takes to be an effective. As a lifelong learner, I look forward to new learning opportunities so I can learn right alongside my students. I will continue to feel this passion for teaching and use it to challenge myself to learn and grow as an educator.
I know that my teaching philosophy will evolve as I grow as a teacher, but there is one thing I will always believe in: all students deserve the opportunity to become successful learners. As a teacher, it is my goal to plan lessons that will be effective in reaching all of my students and making their learning meaningful and applicable to their lives. I feel that it is important to offer students a variety of teaching strategies so I can accommodate to different learning styles and abilities. This will ensure that every student can learn, regardless of his or her background.
My varying teaching techniques help me to accommodate individual differences among my learners and help me to reach all of the students in my classroom,
“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”
-Ignacio Estrada
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Teaching Philosophy
Teachers play such an incredible and critical role in the lives of their students. We are shaping the minds of our youth. We are pushing our students to learn things they never dreamed possible. We are teaching them how to interact responsibly with their peers. Simply put, I became a teacher to make a difference. I want my students to know they are cared for and that they deserve to learn, regardless of their backgrounds, experiences, and abilities.
During my undergraduate experience at Michigan State University, I had to write a teaching philosophy for an education course. At that time, I had little teacher preparation and didn’t really know a lot about what it meant to be an effective teacher. Both my first philosophy on teaching and this most recent account emphasize the importance of providing quality instruction to all students. I am