Chloe's Teaching Philosophy

Philosophy of Education

My teaching philosophy is based on my beliefs about children as well as my role as a teacher.  First and foremost teachers should promote an environment in which community is valued.  According to CEC Standard #5, “Special educators foster environments in which diversity is valued and individuals are taught to live harmoniously and productively in a culturally diverse world (2008, p. 26).”  It is important to ensure that students and teachers alike are treated with the utmost level of respect regardless of differences.  Additionally, as a progressive educator I agree with Dewey’s philosophy in which he discusses instilling an inherent desire to become a lifelong learner, which I truly value and strive to achieve in my students.  Dewey (1938) states, "For these attitudes are fundamentally what count in the future. The most important attitude that can be formed is that of a desire to go on learning (p. 48)."  This can be achieved through providing students with an opportunity for hands-on learning in which they are actively engaged with the concepts and materials and therefore further their thinking.  Children learn best through experiential and hands-on learning which fosters a sense of enthusiasm and enjoyment.

I also believe that all voices of children should be heard.  This can be accomplished through providing students with the opportunity to write and/or discuss their thoughts.  It is important for students not to feel a sense of pressure when asked to share.  A supportive environment should be created where students feel comfortable enough to speak their mind.  This idea is in line with my belief about a classroom community.  I am a firm believer that children need to feel as if their class is their community and it is a safe place in which learning and growing can occur.  Building a classroom community provides the two elements every teacher seeks to achieve, which includes student achievement and fewer behavioral problems.  I am aware that a classroom community is not built overnight, therefore its construction must begin within the first days of school. When the time is taken to build a community with a clear sense of self-worth, well-being, and pride, a safe environment will be created in which optimal learning can occur (Charney, 2002, p. 23).  There are countless community-building activities that set the stage for establishing a sense of trust, respect, and support.  In terms of support I believe teachers serve as a support system that fosters learning.  This support system is established through the teacher’s clear understanding of his or her students as various types of learners.  According to CEC Standard #3, “Individualized decision-making and instruction is at the center of special education practice (2008, p. 25).”  Such individualized attention is critical to the success of each student in my classroom.  CEC Standard #8 also discusses the idea of individualization and its benefits on the learning process.  CEC Standard #8 states, “Special educators use the results of assessments to help identify exceptional learning needs and to develop and implement individualized instructional programs, as well as adjust instruction in response to ongoing learning progress (2008, p. 27).”

Additionally, teachers must establish set routines and behavioral expectations to maintain a well-run classroom.  According to CEC Standard #5, “Special educators actively create learning environments for individuals with exceptional learning needs that foster positive social interactions and active engagement (2008, p. 26).”  These routines and expectations must be established at the beginning of the school year and remain consistent throughout the year.  This can be accomplished through set classroom rules and corresponding consequences as well as explicitly stated expectations. 

The teacher must also establish a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.  The classroom environment should be bright, with adequate colors, a variety of resources, and accessible to all students with and without exceptional learning needs.  According to CEC Standard #5, “Special educators shape environments to encourage the independence, self-motivation, self-direction, personal empowerment, and self-advocacy of individuals with exceptional learning needs (2008, p. 26).”  A productive classroom environment promotes this level of independence.  One such way to increase this sense of independence is by developing a skill in using the available resources and references in the classroom (Pinnell and Fountas, 1998).  Such resources include charts created by the teacher, dictionaries and other reading materials, as well as other students.  In terms of independence and empowerment children should be aware of their learning strengths, weaknesses, goals, and strategies in order to progress.  This can be accomplished through effective conferencing and note-taking on the teacher’s part.  Taberski (2000) notes that when conferencing with a student it is critical to start with a positive remark about his or her learning since it sets the tone for the child.  It is critical to not discourage your students from using the strategies talked about during the conference.  After a conference, my students should have a more clear idea of a strength, a struggle, and a strategy in order to address their particular area of weakness.

 

References

 

Charney, R.S. (2002).  Teaching children to care:  Classroom management for ethical and academic growth, K-8.  Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

 

Council for Exceptional Children. (2008). What every special educator must know: Ethics, standards, and guidelines (6th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.

 

Dewey, J. (1938).  Experience and education.  London, UK: Collier Books.

 

Pinnell, G. & Fountas, I. (1998).  Word Matters.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

 

Taberski, S. (2000).  On Solid Ground: Strategies for Teaching, Reading, K-3.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.