My Philosophy
As an educator, I will foster positive learning through a hands on approach to teaching and building relationships with students. The renowned behavioral theorist John Dewey concluded that students learn best through an experiential education. This is in reference to a hands-on experience as the best approach to learning. As such, I will apply this to my classroom daily, appealing to the many learning styles of my students. Not only will this be applicable in a general education setting, but if I were to be in a special education position, this would also be a primary focus of mine. Many students benefit from kinesthetic and visual teaching styles, both of which are fundamental components of project based learning. I firmly believe in getting students up and moving not only in the classroom, but to relocate the class entirely in order to foster learning in new environments, such as through an outside classroom experience.
In my experience working with children, students always remember two things when it comes to their teachers. The first is always the bad, whether it be one outburst of frustration among a year of fun and joy, the bad is always remembered. The second thing that is always remembered by students is the unusual or unique. As an educator, I am unique, I am known to be loud, tell jokes, and at times even sing in the classroom. These are all strategies I use in order to build a relationship with my students. During her TED talk, educator Rita Pierson states "Kids don't learn from people they don't like", and this could not be more true. By introducing concepts or problems in unimaginable yet meaningful ways, students will retain information. Though I may not be teaching using traditional methods, my students will learn because I will not be the norm.
In my experience working with children, students always remember two things when it comes to their teachers. The first is always the bad, whether it be one outburst of frustration among a year of fun and joy, the bad is always remembered. The second thing that is always remembered by students is the unusual or unique. As an educator, I am unique, I am known to be loud, tell jokes, and at times even sing in the classroom. These are all strategies I use in order to build a relationship with my students. During her TED talk, educator Rita Pierson states "Kids don't learn from people they don't like", and this could not be more true. By introducing concepts or problems in unimaginable yet meaningful ways, students will retain information. Though I may not be teaching using traditional methods, my students will learn because I will not be the norm.