Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Philosophy
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What it all means...I feel we as educators have the power to influence a child for the rest of their lives. By showing the students that you are genuinely invested in them through engaging in the student’s interests, facilitating self-regulation, and also creating a balance where you are respected as a teacher, the outcome will be success (Deci 2001). Achievement comes when students are motivated intrinsically (Kohn 2010). This intrinsic motivation stems from teachers investing in their students. One of my favorite quotes is, “the best thing to spend on children is time.” Over the course of a lifetime you realize what is truly valuable in life is time spent with those you care about. I not only want the students to know that I care about them, but I also hope to model this behavior such that the classroom is a collaborative environment and that these students learn to care about one another.
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Peer Relationships and RespectI think peer relationships play a huge role in students learning. Research has shown that when students are given the opportunity to assess one another’s work, their quality of work and achievement levels rise (Boulton 2011). In order to be effective peer assessors these students must have a foundation of respect for one another, this way, when critiques of work are given their peers will listen to what they have to contribute.
In order for respect to flourish in a classroom not only must the teacher model this, the students and teacher must come up with a classroom structure. Respect not only comes from teacher and peer relationships, it is also shown in how the classroom is run and how students treat their school environment. It is important that the teacher remains organized and strives to be a few steps ahead of their students. This ability to stay ahead of the students stems back to the notion of knowing your students, knowing how to differentiate for each child and anticipate how each child will react to the material. I think peer relationships play a huge role in students' learning. Research has shown that when students are given the opportunity to assess one another’s work, their quality of work and achievement levels rise (Boulton 2011). In order to be effective peer assessors these students must have a foundation of respect for one another. This way, when critiques of work are given, their peers will listen to what they have to contribute. ConclusionFinally, I believe that a teacher must be continually seeking to improve their professional practise. It is impossible to learn everything there is to know about teaching and we as teachers must strive to leave our bias at the door and be open minded to new teaching possibilities. Every child is different, every mind is different and we must accept this beautiful life long challenge head on.
References:
Boulton, M., Don. J, Boulton L. (2011). Predicting children's liking of school from their peer relationships. Social Psychology of Education. Volume 14, Issue 4, pp. 489-501. Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M. & Koestner, R. (Spring, 2001). The Pervasive Negative Effects of Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation: Response to Cameron. Review of Educational Research. Volume 71, Issue 1, pp. 43-51 Kohn A. (2010). How to Create Nonreaders: Reflections on Motivation, Learning, and Sharing Power.English Journal: In Focus. Volume 100. Issue 1. pp. 16-22 Noltemeyer, A., Bush, K., Patton, J., & Bergen, D. (September 01, 2012). The relationship among deficiency needs and growth needs: An empirical investigation of Maslow's theory. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 9, 1862-1867. |