Personal Philosophy

My personal philosophy about education has developed throughout my years of schooling and continues to grow and evolve each day. Looking back on my elementary and high school years, many of my early teachers relied solely on their textbooks and tests to measure our grades and ability, which often times left me feeling inadequate in the classroom. Reflecting on these experiences has greatly influenced the way I plan to run my future classroom. Although my early education was a bit bumpy, I was lucky enough to have instructors in college that taught me succeeding in the classroom was not an impossible task. These instructors offered the much-needed support and hands on learning opportunities I craved. These teachers were definitely a stark contrast to the ones I had in Elementary school. They’ve forever changed my attitude and confidence in regards to my education, and continue to have an influence on my overall philosophy of teaching today.

            I’ve learned first-hand that the instruction of any subject, should be hands on and engaging for ALL students in the classroom. As a future teacher, I plan to address each and every one of my student’s needs and learning styles to the best of my ability. Differentiated instruction is absolutely necessary to ensure all children are receiving the same opportunity to succeed in my classroom. I plan to create a comfortable learning environment that is accepting of every student, regardless of content knowledge. I will ensure every child knows they are unique and valuable to our classroom, group discussions, and activities. I plan to provide many opportunities for my students to work together and learn from one another. Hands on activities will be a large part of my daily routine. Let’s forget the never-ending worksheets, pop quizzes, and memorization of definitions. I will engage my students throughout every lesson, allowing them time to fully and freely “get messy” with the new content. I’m hoping these activities will help my students communicate and learn from one another. I believe this will allow for a deeper understanding and personal connection to the content. My attitude will reflect all ideas, backgrounds, and opinions are welcome. My future classroom will be a strong community of learners—including me! My future students will know that I am constantly learning from them as well, intimidation and judgments will be left at the door. I strongly believe a friendly, comfortable, and non-threatening environment is so crucial for student success. Once every child feels confident and comfortable in your classroom is when true learning and progress takes place.