Jennifer Niskanen's Philosophy
Of Education
The role of education is to
foster the development of children both academically and emotionally.
As a teacher, I feel I must focus not only on my subject matter but also
on the diverse needs of my students. The teaching of social skills and
problem solving is equally important to the teaching of my subject and
it is important to give students opportunities to practice skills and
to challenge them to redefine their own ideas. I will endeavour to create
a student-centred environment which promotes inquiry and critical thinking
skills by facilitating learning through proposing problems, raising issues
and asking questions that will peak student interest and encourage thought.
I will structure both individual accountability and positive interdependence
between students and myself as a teacher and between the students themselves.
I believe all students can learn and I will encourage my students to value their own diversified aptitudes and intelligences and those of their fellow students. Teachers must attend to the intellectual and cultural needs of diverse student groups by striving to be supportive and accepting. They must accentuate the positive and encourage the exchange of ideas. I will create an environment that encourages guessing, skepticism and intuitive thinking. I want my students to understand the value of making mistakes. I will create a student-sensitive environment that will give all students the opportunity to voice what they know and as a teacher I will be open to many different perspectives.
My learning environment will allow my students to explore who they are, their world, and the perspectives of others. I want to develop both individuality and connectedness in my classroom. I hope to bring students into a broader culture than that of their home. I feel that the key to developing this kind of learning environment is my ability to foster a positive relationship between the students and myself, with parents and the other staff, and with the community as a whole. I want all students to feel valued in my class and I hope to nurture a personal connection to the academic subject I am teaching and to their fellow learners.
I feel that students must be
allowed to make some of their own decisions about learning and that students
are important collaborators in the learning process. As a teacher I want
to assist students in developing a positive view of themselves and of
their world and to give them a sense of hope. I enjoy seeing students
make the leap from children to responsible adults that make decisions
for themselves. I want to be a teacher because several teachers were a
fundamental influence in my life. They gave me the courage to dream and
to strive for excellence. They helped me become the person that I am today.
I want to become an active member in the school, not only in my classroom
but through extra-curricular activities, and by doing so to give back
to the educational system some of what I have received.
Visitors Since March 8th, 2001