Philosophy of Education/ Technology Experience
As a teacher I believe it is my job to learn about each student as a whole and to teach them concepts that are not only in the curriculum but that will better prepare them for their future. My students will learn and demonstrate kindness, tolerance and acceptance towards others, while building a healthy sense of identity, confidence and belonging in the learning community. I believe that parents play a huge role in education and should be involved in every step of their child’s educational experience as well.
I believe in a hands-on learning environment and it is my goal to take my students to the next level by using manipulatives that help exercise their minds as well as to integrate technology into their everyday learning. I will stimulate my student’s curiosity and thirst for knowledge by exposing them to cultural diversity, the arts, sciences, technology, mathematics and the world of literature. I also believe that it is important to include individualized instruction so that students will develop a sense of self-discovery.
The power of assessment can help students reach their goals and set new ones along the way. With the use of both formal and informal assessments I will track my students progress throughout their educational experience. I will provide the students with rubrics and even self-evaluation strategies to help them critique their own learning. With the use of assessments, I will differentiate my lessons to each of my students individual need to ensure that they are receiving the best quality individualized education possible.
As an educator I will create a safe, inclusive and interactive environment in which my students work together with peers and teachers to discover new information and create solutions to problems. It is my belief that when children have fun, feel safe and are included, they will grow into productive, confident and successful learners moving forward.
Experience with Technology
I have had an average amount of experience with technology throughout my life. I graduated from high school in 2012. During this time schools were beginning to incorporate more and more technology throughout my high school career. As I studied at Mesa Community College I learned a few new things about technology here and their. These things included: Google Docs and even creating interesting power points and presentations. Finally NAU has taught me so much about technology and how to incorporate it within my lesson plans and classroom. I have learned about teacher websites/ blogs, Class Dojo and even how to use a document camera in the classroom.
Within my personal life I have learned how to use social media websites as a way of communicating with family members and friends that live in different states and even different countries. I have also learned how to fix small problems with my lab top as they arise.
I believe that I will use technology everyday in my future classroom. Technology is growing and expanding and their is always something new to learn. Technology opens many doors in the world of education and students will be able to learn far more then their textbooks could ever teach them. In the future I wouldn't be surprised if my elementary students were posting and submitting homework online as well as doing a lot of class research on personal laptops that will be provided by the schools. I can't wait to see where technology will take the future of our educational world!
Hi Tayla! I love that you mentioned assessment within your philosophy- that is something that I have not yet seen another person discuss. As teachers, we obviously want our students to grow during their time with us. However, the obvious way to make sure that is happening is through assessment. Assessment is one of those key aspects of teaching that not everyone loves (and, to be frank, not everyone does all the time), yet is imperative to documenting their success. To be honest, I frequently forget about it. I appreciate you taking the time to mention it in your philosophy- how do you plan on assessing students who have learning or severe disabilities? I feel as if that is somewhere that I am lacking as an educator.
ReplyDeleteTayla, I love that you incorporated teaching your students on a moral level as well as curricular. This is something we may not always think of going into teaching for the first time. This is a memorable point to make and I appreciate you bringing it up! Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Tayla! Your teaching philosophy was obviously very well thought out! In my philosophy, I also mentioned how important it is to teach to the whole child, but I think you explain it very well. Their sense of identity and self-worth will determine as much of their success as their academic achievement will. I also love how you mentioned how critical it is to involve parents in every part of a child’s education. When student’s see how invested their parents are, they are motivated to work hard and meet their high expectations. I’m curious what your plan is for involving parents. I saw that you are familiar with Class Dojo, which is one incredible way to stay in touch and show parents how students are performing in school. Have you heard of any other options, such as Google Classrooms or Remind 101? Google classrooms can be used to send out electronic assignments to students so that they have easy access no matter their location. Sometimes, parents can even sign up for reminders and announcements so they can help keep their children on track with their assignments. Remind 101 works similarly. It allows teachers to directly send reminders of important information, and students can also use it to ask their teachers questions when they are not in the classroom. Google classrooms might also be useful for some of the assessments that you have planned for your students. Thank you for sharing. I know you are going to be a great teacher!
ReplyDeleteTayla, You mention using social media personally. Have you seen this done in the classroom? What are some of the pitfalls of using social media in the classroom? Successes?
ReplyDeleteDo you see the next wave of teachers engaging students through social media sites in a way to bring learning communities together?
Tayla I have to agree with your education philosophy I do also believe that having a positive and supportive environment will really make a difference in a child's education. Hands on learning is my way of teaching and I think it can be very beneficial for students who are kinesthetic learners. It looks like you have good experience with technology, and im glad you can use that to your advantage in your future classroom.
ReplyDeleteHi Tayla,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading you blog. I liked how you mentioned that assessment is critical, I agree. Teachers must assess students to see if they are learning the content that is being taught to them. Even informal assessments, such as thumbs up or down, can be very helpful in understanding where everyone in at, even as a class. I too will utilize assessment continually in my classroom. I also loved how you stated that communication, especially with parents, is crucial. Parents need to be informed about their child in both times of need and in times that they succeed. Having open communication is key to helping each student flourish. Your blog really shows that you will put your students first and that will make you an excellent teacher!
Hi Tayla,
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed reading your blog. I like how you discussed about using a hands-on learning environment. I also discussed in my blog about how important it is to have kids learn through a hands-on- experience.As a teacher I believe that it is important that students have access to hands-on activities and be able to use materials that will help to reinforce lessons that have been created by us their teachers.As teachers this allows many opportunities for individual discovery and understanding.
Tayla,
ReplyDeleteYour teaching philosophy was very well rounded. It covered everything from classroom environment to assessment. I completely agree how hands activities and integrating technology is important. Your blog is very nice and I enjoyed it very much.