My Teaching Philosophy

As an aspiring elementary school teacher, it is important for me to begin forming ideas of how I plan to carry myself in my future classroom. In order to do this, I need to consider different occurrences in the classroom when students learn and the struggles they may face.  

Teaching a class which consists of different students with diverse needs can be difficult.  Everyone learns and understands concepts differently. There is no simple way of explaining a lesson that will resonate with every unique child. My identity as an educator has developed over time through my experiences with fieldwork and observing children in a classroom setting. 
I believe it is vital as a future teacher to be able to adapt to situations in the classroom.  With children of a younger age, you never know what could happen on any given day. In addition, it can be hard to predict the response a class will have to a lesson plan.  Ideally, everyone would understand the concepts right away.  Realistically, that is not always the case.  For the latter, I need to make sure I can quickly and effectively adapt a lesson to help my students understand.  In addition, I need to be able to anticipate outbursts and displays of outward frustration from my students.  Regarding students with trouble controlling their behavior, I believe it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure that student has support and a solid plan on how to improve both socially and academically.  Prioritizing a student-centered classroom would help my students feel comfortable, rather than overlooked.  I hope that utilizing inquiry-based learning will assist my students in feeling as though they are in control of their education.  In addition, I plan to create a positive and innovative learning environment so that students can come to me if they need help.  This might help prevent some behavioral outbursts before they happen.  

Ultimately, my goal as a future teacher is to help my students learn while simultaneously making them feel valued and heard.  I want to teach them useful lessons and skills that will help them in their future endeavors for years following their experience in my classroom.  Education is more than just teaching students lessons from a curriculum; it is just as much about having a positive influence on my students’ lives and giving them the necessary tools to succeed in the future.