Teaching Philosophy

What is teaching to me? Hard question, but I think there are a few elements that stick out as particularly important.

One of my philosophies for teaching is pretty simple. It’s about remembering just how important your job is. There may be days where you wish you were anywhere else but in front of a classroom. But its important to remember that what are you doing, however trivial, has the potential to impact a student, either positively or negatively.

            However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the classroom should be deadly serious all the time either. Teaching involves setting an example. There are times to relax a bit, and there are times when you have to put your nose to the grindstone. Part of the learning process for students is organization, and if they see their teacher with a strong grasp of time management, it will only benefit them.

            I am a strong believer in having a friendly environment for a classroom, but I don’t believe that teachers should strive to be a “friend” of the students. You are ultimately a mentor, so should act accordingly. The relationship between a teacher and student is based on mutual respect, not favouring one student over another because they like the same music or read the same books. Also, in today’s world, teachers who associate themselves with students outside of class can find themselves in hot water in the blink of an eye.

            The thing I remember the most about great teachers I have had is the feeling they expressed when they talked about the material. If you want to have students attentive and interested you have to become the best spokesman for what you are teaching. Just plain old instruction doesn’t work for long-term memory; enthusiasm does.

            However, I believe that the most important goal an educator can strive for is a democratic classroom, where the students are actively involved in learning. This includes a classroom with group discussions, student participation, and ultimately has the class teach themselves by helping each other. Although admittedly this method would not be simple to implement, I believe that it would offer the greatest reward, as students would grow confident in their own critical thinking skills.

            Most of all, I guess my philosophy is just to enjoy it. Very few people can enjoy the pleasures our choice of profession offers us, and even fewer can appreciate it.