Philosophy of Teaching

My philosophy of teaching is continuing to evolve I have developed it from my experiences in life. My beliefs regarding teaching and learning are based on three basic principles: promoting positive learning and sparking enthusiasm for learning, providing a strong foundation for a life time of learning and employing a variety of strategies learned while studying Reading Education. With these beliefs I plan to become a successful educator.

Promoting positive learning and sparking enthusiasm for learning are two sides of the same coin; they are an essential part of being an educator. An environment of positive learning is conducive to teaching; I feel an educator should encourage a student using positive reinforcement. I believe when a student is corrected in a positive manner it gives the student an enthusiasm for learning that is unparalleled.

Providing a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning is the goal of educators. Students who have been given a strong educational foundation are more likely to go on to graduate with a secondary degree from a college or university. Educators are granted the honor of educating our future generations, and instilling a strong foundation of education is one of the greatest gifts an educator can give a student.

The field of Reading Education has many learning theories that can be used in the classroom that can potentially help students. One example is the Behavioral theory, which offers many principles that allow educators the opportunity to help their students. Behavioral theory offers significant contributions to the educational field. I have many ideas that I would like to introduce to my future students such as: think-pair-share, classroom jigsaw activities, constructive controversies and interactive lectures. On the subject of assessment, I consider traditional exams and tests as only the beginning of available resources. Educators have a multitude of options available to them for assessment such as rubrics, check lists, projects, portfolios, performances and presentations for example. These different types of assessment allow one to accurately assess the understanding of course content of individual learners.

I predict that by following these basic principles I can grow as an educator and expand on my love of learning. More importantly, I believe that by sharing my passion for learning and using these principles with enthusiasm and empathy I can connect with students. Teaching with clarity, passion, empathy, and sincere enthusiasm, effectively impacts learners and ultimately connects them to discover their own passion and helping them onto a lifelong adventure of learning.