My Philosophy of Teaching

Learning is important to me, as is using what I have learned to somehow help others. This is why I decided to become a teacher. As far as the subject I wish to teach, I have always had a love for words and the way they can be used as a tool for education, communication, and motivation. This is why my major is English. Therefore, I want to use what I have learned about literature and words to help others to also appreciate them and to use them more effectively, by teaching English, Reading, or Language Arts. To succeed in any area of life, a person needs the ability to communicate effectively, and this is what the study of English is all about, with the additional benefit of the pleasure that can also be derived from reading good literature.

Consequently, one of my main focuses as a teacher of English, or Language Arts, will be to instruct my students in the effective use of the language. This involves grammar and punctuation, but is certainly not limited to merely the technical aspects of writing. A related focus of mine would be on public speaking, since most adults find this to be both one of the most frightening tasks they encounter, and also one of the most necessary. Thirdly, I will guide my students as they read and digest literature. I will encourage in them a love of reading while at the same time guiding them as they process and comprehend what they read. This is also a skill that they will need, not only in other classes or in college, but in their adult lives. My goal will be to make it a skill that they not only are not afraid of, but that they actually enjoy.

In order to effectively teach these skills to my students, I will employ various strategies. This will not only ensure that the material does not become stale, but will also help to reach students of varying learning styles. Nevertheless, I believe that students do learn best when they are actively involved in the process, so I will strive to find creative ways to teach lessons such as using debates and role play activities. These types of lessons will keep the students from becoming bored with the subject, and also help them to consider different sides of an issue. In order to ensure that they learn to be responsible for their own learning, I will also employ teaching strategies such as the inquiry lesson or the Socratic seminar-type lesson. This will help give them ownership of their learning, while at the same time teaching them good self-teaching strategies that they can use in any subject, at any time in their lives.

Finally, how will I assess whether or not the students are learning the material? Firstly, I will provide clear objectives before teaching a lesson that will be reviewed orally at the end of the lesson. In addition, I will assign homework as weekly checks that my students have learned to generalize the information they have received; in other words, I will ask them to apply the information to new text, or ask them to compose a text themselves. If, after assessment is made, I discover that the students have not properly learned a concept, I will find a different way to teach it, until better mastery is achieved. Therefore, tests, or assessments, will serve as means of supplying students with timely feedback that will continue the learning process, while at the same time providing me with feedback on how well the subject has been taught.

I know that at times teaching will be a challenge, but it is one that I believe is well worth it. I want to always continue learning myself, and know that teaching is a good way to ensure that I have this opportunity—I expect to learn from my students, as well. And in the end, I will know that I have impacted children’s lives, and therefore the world, for better, in the process.