My Philosophy of Education

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My Philosophy of Education

I believe that the Foreign Language classroom should be one that not only teaches how to speak a language, but also how to survive in the growing, and very diverse communities that we live in and that our students live in. Students should learn about the culture that corresponds to the language that they are learning, and teachers should promote diversity and acceptance among all ethnic groups, including the people of the target language.

Students should be in a classroom where they feel comfortable enough to experiment with the new language. I think that a teacher should always be responsive to their students, and should never be reprimanded for trying to answer or ask a question. I also believe that students should be exposed to a variety of different interpersonal, interpretative, and presentational communication activities. I believe students should also have a say in what they would like to learn in the foreign language classroom. There should be a wide selection and variety of authentic materials in every classroom. This could mean anything from Spanish story books, Spanish music, Spanish and Latin American Art hung on the walls, menus, greeting cards, etc. Students should feel immersed in the culture and the language, and teachers should use these materials as well as the textbook. However, the textbook should not be the only material used in teaching the language. If possible, from time to time, students should take trips to authentic cultural events or restaurants.

I think that every teacher should give their students a purpose for doing their assignments. These purposes should not just include getting a grade. Students can do so much, such as organizing a cultural dance at their school, singing holiday carols in the target language around the school, putting on a play based on authentic Hispanic folk tales.

Finally, I believe that being a good teacher means teaching his or her students the best way possible and making sure that every students gets the most out of the class. Every lesson and every unit should be written with the five C's in mind: Communication, Connections, Culture, Comparisons, and Communities.

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