Philosophy of Teaching

Philosophy of Teaching

"The only way in which a human being can make some approach of knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by each character of mind. No wise man ever acquired his wisdom by any mode than this." ...John Stuart Mill

Multiple perspectives as a means of teaching perspective...

I believe that social studies education ought to be both multi-cultural and student centered. Through my reading and participation in class discussions, I have come to believe in the importance of a multicultural curriculum which incorporates the issues of perspective and privilege by requiring students to look at history through the multiple perspectives of those who are a part of traditional white majority culture and those who are of other races and cultures. The use of multiple perspectives enables students to learn both from whose perspective history is being taught, and that it is through the comparing and contrasting of different perspectives that we can divine the truth in history. John Stuart Mill wrote, "The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by each character of mind. No wise man ever acquired his wisdom by any mode than this."

My role as teacher....

Students today come to school with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences and classrooms therefore contain a broad mixture of student experience, ability and motivation. My goal is to provide many opportunities for students to expand their understanding of the roles that individuals and groups of individuals play in shaping history. I want my students to be able to see themselves as an integral part of the world and as agents for change. I believe that a teacher can be a catalyst who can pull from students' experiences, and provide both new information and a synthesis of history in action for students. My job as teacher will be to structure my classes in such a way that students of differing backgrounds, interest levels and abilities have the opportunity to explore and to improve their understanding of history and of its contemporary relevance.