My Teaching Philosophy Statement
If asked at age 18 if I wanted to become a teacher, I would have answered with an emphatic, “No.” However, in the past few years my opinions have changed drastically. Growing up with two educators in my household, I decided that I was going to be the different one. I had seen first-hand all the after-school hours required not only to grade papers, but also to organize and create a learning environment that was challenging and stimulating. I would opt for a different career that was less demanding physically, emotionally, and more financially beneficial. Besides, I had made up my mind that I wasn’t going to “squander” all of my hard-earned money on the many labs that my Dad prepared or the props that my Mother used to “hook” students in to learning. I wanted to be extremely affluent, and at the time, to me, teaching was not going to fill my financial cup.
When first entering college, I changed my major numerous times; bound and determined not to follow the teaching path. However, while in for my spring break from college on year, my focus changed when I visited my mother’s kindergarten classroom. This excursion was unlike any of my previous ones. I noticed how much fun her students were having, and how eager they were to learn. These children were so considerate and innocent, and when I left them that day every single one of them hugged me as I was on my way out the door. This innocent gesture made me relish the sweetness of their spontaneity and uninhibited gratitude for any affection or attention that I gave them. I visited my mother’s classroom every day that week; I helped children with their journals, assisted with phonemics awareness, and played with them outside at recess. When I left that final day it hit me: this is it. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. In that one week, I had fallen in love with that kindergarten class, and the profession that I had adamantly fought against for years was the one that I could not wait to be a part of.
As a college student, I often find myself inundated with work. To make it worse, these assignments usually are uninteresting and irrelevant. It is in the midst of these tedious exercises that I begin to wonder whether all of this work is worth it. When this issue creeps into my mind, I think back to my reasons for choosing to pursue this profession. When I started college, I knew that I could not function in a typical nine to five job. The banality and predictability of such a career simply did not appeal to me. So that essentially ruled out any course of study which would lead to such an occupation. I also knew that I wanted a job that would allow me to make a difference in people’s lives. My mind carefully contemplated the list of possible vocations, and ultimately the field of education seemed to possess the strongest appeal. A teaching career, I figured, would allow me to have a strong impact on the lives of young people. I wanted to help them grow both as students and as people, just as my teachers had done for me. So, despite the warnings of many current teachers, I enlisted myself in a curriculum devoted to teacher preparation.
The decision to become a teacher was one that I made when I was in the ninth grade. When I entered high school I worked at a summer camp every year with disadvantaged children. The children ages ranged from six years old to sixteen years old. The feeling that I received when I saw that I could make a difference in their lives was so rewarding that I knew I wanted to become a teacher. I grew up as the youngest of six children, finishing high school was very important to my brothers and sisters, but finishing college was never really stressed to them by my mother. Three of my siblings
As a young lady I have decided to become an early childhood education teacher. Throughout my high school years many of my friends have been thrilled to study a higher education level in college. The majority believe that being a teacher is not what I should do for the rest of my life because the income is not as immense as other careers. Many suppose that this job is simple, but in reality his job re...
Over this past summer I’ve worked at a recreational park mentoring young children. I was still determining what major I wanted study upon college move in day; I was clueless. A week before dispatch, a girl wrote me a letter. It read “Dear Mr. Christian, Thank you! You are making a great impact in our community. Sincerely, Madison” after reading the letter it inspired me; I realized teaching was my strong suit and the Education field was best for me. Teachers take on many roles in student development such as a family figure, mentor, role model, motivator, etc. The goal of a teacher should be to influence children, motivate them, and then watch them sprout into well-rounded individuals. Many people see teaching as an underpaying profession,
Ever since I was a little girl I had this dream of being a teacher. Whether it was making up “pretend” tests or having my younger brother sit through my instruction, I knew that I was a born teacher. And now that I have grown and matured into a responsible young woman, I feel that my place in this world is in the classroom. I feel that the children are our future and we should teach them everything we know to the best of our abilities. Every summer since the age of 13, I have been babysitting for local families in my small hometown of Pineville. In fact, 2 years ago I had been babysitting for a Optometrist and his wife and they were expecting their second child. As an honor, they asked if they could name their second daughter after me. Kara Nicole was born in June of 2001. As a matter of fact, I have found that my feelings on education often reflect the song The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston. She states in her song that she feels that the children are our future and I must say that I agree completely with her sentiments on the education of our youth. When I came of age to enter college, there was no question in my mind as to what field I wanted to enter. Elementary education was the only option for me. One of my favorite quotes, although I do not know the author, says that “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world” and I must say that this reflects my philosophy on education. To me, this quote reveals every compassionate thought I have on education alone. Teachers in some small way or another can be the sunshine in a child’s life. In my opinion, teachers, play many roles; mentors, confidants, sources of inspiration, and disciplin...
Every year I have had a teacher who has always went that extra mile to make sure I thoroughly understood each and every lesson. For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher; I want to be like all those teachers who helped me through the years.
I will be studying the field of Education after graduating, helping the younger generation with English. I am currently volunteering at Boys and Girls club, by tutoring and helping them with homework. I have been dreaming of being a teacher since I was little; wanting to express my true gift. The joy of being in the field of Education is knowing that you are giving the youth the ability to learn and to give them insight on wanting to know more.
“Physical education teachers, also called P.E. teachers, instruct students in health, fitness and sports. They may work in public or private schools, teaching students in grades K-12.The main focus of Physical education teachers is to improve the person’s knowledge of the body and make their bodies better physically and mentally. ” (study.com). In physical education I plan to help kids or even adults better themselves. I want people to be healthy and physically in shape. I want to make a difference in the community. Physical Education is a way to help people and build some discipline/character in the school systems. “In fact, many studies are now displaying that kids who are substantially active also perform better in the classroom.” (www.sparkpe.org).
I want to teach because I want to pass on my knowledge to a new generation. I want to teach because I want to be challenged. After all of my previous work experience, I have found that I want to work in a profession that requires me to work on the edge of my comfort zone. Teaching puts me on that edge in that I have to rely on being able to improvise my lesson plans as not all students learn the same, so I would differentiate my teaching methods to reach as many students as possible. Having that challenge of working outside my comfort zone also means that every day will be different, so I will always look forward to the next one. Growing up I have always tried to be a positive role model and I think that there is no better way for me to do that than by teaching our youth. Teaching allows me to instill critical ethics and values effecting the social development of my students. I would do this by having clear rules and appropriate punishments for breaking those rules. In addition, I would introduce my students to new cultures and traditions that will allow them to have a better understanding of others, therefore providing students with experience in socializing with those cultures that they can carry forward with them throughout their life.
Teaching is full of ups and downs; as well as many joys and hardships. To say that it is a constant and stable career would be nothing more than an incorrect statement. I’ve seen what and transpire in the classroom from both the perspective of the student and the educator thanks to the internships offered by my FFEA chapter. I’ve seen a silent and calm classroom transform into a roundy and loud warzone. Everyday teachers have to deal with students with no respect, little or no confidence in their abilities, and those who who just don’t want to be taught. I’ve seen teachers get crushed by these hardships and I can’t blame them. But, no adventure worth going on was ever completed without difficulties and hardships. But every adventure also has it’s great moments and positives, and teaching is no different. some Teachers surpass impossible odds everyday in this country by teaching these students and seeing them move forward in the world. It’s the moments when I teacher is finally able to get a student that A or when a student finally understands that he can pass the class if he works for it. Moments like these are when teachers realize why they preserve and never give up on a student. I will never forget how happy my sixth grade math teacher was when I passed my math final. I was struggling with the class the entire year and felt that there was no way for me to pass the class. No matter
Every teacher has a different method of teaching. The teachers that I have had in my school career have been no exception. In this way, each teacher has set an example for me, as a future teacher, to follow or not to follow as I see fit. With the examples from my teachers and in continuing my education, I am developing my own method of teaching. I plan to use a combination of teaching methods in my own classroom. My method will be an eclectic approach because I will be using components of more than one philosophy. I will be using essentialism, behaviorism, progressivism, and existentialism.
It is a constant truth that technology is growing rapidly and it is opening up many opportunities for students as well as teachers. Through the use of the internet information that would take scholars months to acquire out and interpret can be found in less than a minute though a Google search and not only is the information their, but in many cases the information that you wanted is shown in bolded so it can even be found quicker.
As an education major at State College, I’ve decided to become a teacher for several reasons. As I progressed through elementary, middle, and high school, many of my teachers were great role models for me. This has inspired me to become a role model for someone in the near future. My love for science and math has also influenced my desire to teach and make a difference in a child’s life. I want to teach students the subjects that I love so much. I want the feeling that I helped a child accomplish or learn something they couldn’t understand. One of the main reasons I want to become an educator is because I feel education has really lost teachers who truly love teaching and those who truly love teaching and those who have the desire to make a difference. I feel I can really help make a difference in the education world and bring back the love to teach.
In the article “Why Do They Teach? - And Why Do They Leave?” Carol Curtis asks people from who are potential teachers all the way to teachers who have left their profession. This article is a survey in which asks potential teachers, why they would want to teach for the rest of the rest of their lives? And discusses the major points in which teachers leave this profession and the reason they felt un-supported in the school environment. When asking college aged students they asked, why do you want to teach? In response seventy one percent of these students said “for self-fulfillment” and a continued seventy percent said “they had a mentor or teacher who influenced them in a positive way” (780). So this shows that these teachers are going into this profession knowing for a fact this is what they want to do, and obviously are not giving up on their dreams. Teaching is much more to these potential teachers; it is being able to change a life. Not by teaching them what happened in the Civil War but by being a male/female influence when they do not have that at home, or just being the teacher they spend talking to twenty minutes after class about the small th...
After fourteen years of being scared of college, I decided to start my new journey in August of 2001. I wanted to go to college all by life to become a teacher, but I felt I needed to wait until my children were old enough to understand. Therefore, I pushed my dream back until one day it over whelmed me; I jumped in with both feet. I was so scared my first day, but over time, the fear went away and I am now fully focused on my dream. My husband and children have supported me with my decision; I could not have made it this far without them. I wanted to become an elementary teacher, but along the way, I found a new love—English. Therefore, I changed my major. I am counting the days until I have my own classroom.