Teaching Philosophy
There is no current philosophy that exists that my own philosophy fits into. I am a mixture of Essentialism and Progressivism with a twist of Perenialism. I know you might think, how can one person believe in both Essentialism and Progressivism at the same time? But, at this point, I'm used to my contradicting beliefs, its just part of what makes me who I am.
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I think students need to be able to do everything. A well rounded education makes a well rounded person. I do, however, think there needs to be a balance. Students, mostly at the secondary level, should be encouraged to take control, start making decisions, and be their own boss. Mistakes will happen, wrong paths with be taken, and responsibility should be taken for their choices. This should be encouraged more as it is vital to their growing process. Teachers should serve as a mentor, an example, and a resource. A teacher should be there to provide modeling, and sometimes, intervention. The best way for students to learn is by doing, failing, and fixing. There needs to be respect, rules, expectations, yet flexibility in the role of both student and teacher.
I want what I teach to help students socially, emotionally, in their families, in their careers, and in their life long learning. Intelligent people are aware, respectful, and reflective. They see their behaviors and know the cause and effect. The better you are at understanding science (or math, English, economics, etc...) the better you are at addressing social actions. You are more educated to make decisions about your actions and your pursuits, as well as better able to foresee the consequences. I believe that as my students become better at science, they become better at life. They can decide on their own intelligent conclusions and act on them if they choose.
I want what I teach to help students socially, emotionally, in their families, in their careers, and in their life long learning. Intelligent people are aware, respectful, and reflective. They see their behaviors and know the cause and effect. The better you are at understanding science (or math, English, economics, etc...) the better you are at addressing social actions. You are more educated to make decisions about your actions and your pursuits, as well as better able to foresee the consequences. I believe that as my students become better at science, they become better at life. They can decide on their own intelligent conclusions and act on them if they choose.
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Behavior & Management
It is my view that students should be instilled with a sense of responsibility and a sense of capability. In my mind, all students are capable of acting maturely and appropriately when they are given a sense of responsibility. As much as I want to control every environment that I am in for my own sanity, I know that each students is in control of their own learning and they need to have freedom to make choices that will help them learn. I use this sense of responsibility to encourage students to "act right". All students know how to act right, but they don't always have the motivation or the self control to do so. It is my philosophy to promote opportunities for students to exercise their own agency to make choices that will move their own learning along, since they are ultimately the one in control of it. |