Introduction

            As an educator, I aspire to make a positive impact on every student who walks through my door. I want my students to come to school every morning knowing that, even if they struggle in class, I will be there to support and encourage them. I want to be the kind of teacher that students visit years after I had them in class because of what I have inspired in them. I aspire to be an educator who impacts not just her own students, but those in other grades and classes.

 

What Children Should Learn

            In elementary school, I believe children’s learning must be not only academic, but also social-emotional and self-regulatory. The elementary years are for instilling a love of learning which will in turn cultivate lifelong learners who are self-motivated critical thinkers. Children should first learn appropriate behavior and social skills before they can move on to learning content. For this, I would first teach my students to be respectful and participatory through spending the first week or two on creating a classroom environment conducive to obtaining knowledge. As far as content, I feel I am most skilled in math, science, and reading instruction. Growing up, I struggled with school, particularly math. Because of this, I have found a multitude of strategies for solving problems, whatever the subject may be. I feel that students should learn what strategies work for them and become self-advocates for their own learning, seeking out learning in the manner that helps them best. Children with special needs are no exception, and I feel I am skilled at accommodating them in the general education classroom. Additionally, in this age of technology, digital literacy is an integral part of elementary curriculum. This means that students should learn how to navigate through the internet, find reputable and reliable sources, and utilize different technology such as desktops, laptops, tablets, etc. However, technology integration should not just be for the sake of using technology, it must meaningfully contribute to the learning goals of the children.

 

How Children Should Be Taught

            In order to meet the students’ learning objectives, I am a firm believer in role playing and simulation. As a teacher, I want to facilitate activities to promote learning, minimizing the role of direct instruction whenever possible. Too much of school is spent on lecture, which I feel stifles creative thinking. I want my students to work towards mastering a skill, not focus on task completion. This means that I will plan my lessons in a way to suit the individual learning styles, interests, and needs of my students, assigning little homework. I understand that not all students have the same opportunities at home for learning, so I do not want to assign an unnecessary amount of work for my students. Instead, I want to have my students do most of their learning at school, where I can best guide them to their discoveries. I have little first hand experience with project based learning, but am interested in pursuing it because of the high level of content integration. Because of all of the standards students must learn per year, it is vital that lessons for students cross the barriers of subjects.

 

My Role as a Teacher

            My philosophy of education is that all educators must devote themselves to the education of all their students, utilizing research and parent involvement to maintain effective instructional techniques, and advocate for best practices in educational legislation. We must be examples of lifelong learners, continually seeking out knowledge and reading in front of the students. As a teacher, I will show enthusiasm for education and inspire my students to be excited about their learning.

            As a professional educator, I believe my duty lies in meeting the needs of each student who steps foot in my classroom. This means beginning each new year by creating relationships between myself and each student as well as encouraging community within the classroom and school. Next, it is an educator’s responsibility to assess the knowledge, skills, and learning style of the students in the classroom. After the educator determines what each student’s unique needs are, he or she will create lessons to advance and accommodate all the students, differentiating instruction for all types of learner. Lastly, every lesson should be evaluated afterword to find if the lesson was effective and the ways in which it should be improved, and every student should be assessed, formally or informally, to determine their understanding of the content.

            To effectively teach students, I must keep up to date on educational research and implement new techniques in my classroom to continuously improve my learning environment and methods of instruction. This includes developmental research, since it is important to consider the developmental milestones and challenges of each age group. My research will also include reading on the cultures and religions represented in the classroom to respectfully highlight diversity and encourage inclusion in our class. Research additionally should focus on the adaptation and integration of new technologies into the classroom to foster technological literacy in my students. Lastly, I will research newest teaching resources and methods. The same methods that were used for years are not always appropriate nor useful for every group of students, so by keeping a current list of methods I can match the appropriate method to my different groups of learners.

            Educators must also understand and appreciate the role of parent involvement in students’ educational motivation and achievement. Therefore, one of the goals of an effective teacher should be establishing partnerships with parents to encourage them to be involved with their students’ education. This also includes tremendous planning to work with the various schedules and talents of parents and utilize them the best way within the classroom. To maintain positive partnerships with parents, I will need to frequently communicate with the children’s families. I will do this through weekly newsletters, friendly conversation at pick up and drop off, and with personal emails or phone calls concerning the individual learning of each student.

            Being an educator does not end at the school doors. My commitment to education also means advocating for the needs of students in legislation, ensuring that I make my voice heard when laws and standards are set. Many times, those in charge of education legislation have never taught in the classroom first hand and can benefit from the input of educators such as myself. I will join and be active in organizations that focus on educational reform and legislation for the good of my students, fellow teachers, and the education system.

 

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.