Teaching Philosophy Statement

As a future teacher looking toward a time when I will be responsible for a classroom of my own, the prospects are terrifying. Students arrive in the classroom with various strengths and weaknesses with the expectation that I can and will teach them the given curriculum. Admittedly, some students will be easier to connect with and teach than others. This is not the fault of the students, but rather the fault of the teacher. However, this is not to say that the teacher should be held entirely responsible for the challenges that he/she may face and fail; but the teacher can surely be held responsible for coming to an expected challenge and failing due to lack of preparation or effort. With this in mind, it is necessary to consider one particular

However, a concerned/proactive teacher ought to pursue knowledge about this student beyond simply his/her English language skills, but rather, knowledge pertaining to the student’s cultural background, personal life, first language skills/abilities and academic prowess. Provided information pertaining to these topics enriches the teacher’s knowledge of the student in such a way that teaching can be adapted for greater suitability for the student. How can such knowledge influence teaching in a broad capacity? To begin with, knowing the student beyond the academic level is a key factor in forming a student-teacher relationship. Such a relationship eliminates fear and/or distrust between the individuals, because the relationship will be built upon trust and respect. My mentor teacher has spoken to me about the benefits of a strong student-teacher relationship; students recognize that their well-being is forefront in their teacher’s mind; mentorship is built beyond the academic platform; honesty increases in prominence; morale is boosted. Stewart (2016) emphasizes “the priority is the people we teach—not content, assessments, or compliance” (p.

Viewing students from a holistic perspective means being able to teach them from the same perspective. Knowledge regarding home life, and cultural background makes it easier to validate the ELL’s experiences and even increases the likelihood of using the knowledge of the ELL to pass on to others. A vital aspect of teaching is realizing that there is always more to learn. Stewart (2016) suggests that students need to see their teacher as a learner just like them as a form of modelling, and authenticity (p. 24). Taking advantage of the increased diversity in life experiences and perspectives is an important step in increasing learning for all members of the classroom, teachers and students alike. In my grade 3/4 classroom just the other day, students were working on a writing assignment. As I listened and talked to students, I found a group of students talking about their names and what their names mean. Some students were trying to locate their names in dictionaries, while others were teaching their classmates how to pronounce their name, or why they had that specific name. One boy in particular is an ELL student. He was teaching students about his long name, and why it was important, and I could see just how curious the other classmates were to learn. His experiences were teaching other students, and the students valued what they were hearing. My mentor teacher