Throughout the years I have compiled methods, strategies, and resources from various professors and mentors that have allowed me to come to the conclusion as to what I believe an ideal teacher should be. In its most general sense, a teacher should be knowledgeable and able to communicate ideas in a clear manner whilst following the curriculum. An ideal teacher, however, should also be fair and do everything in their power to allow every student to have an equal learning opportunity in their classroom. What makes a teacher a ‘great’ teacher to me is their ability to connect with students, consistently checking-up on their students’ well-being, demonstraing an enthusiasm for the material being taught, and is able to share their passions with students through teaching. An ideal teacher, to me, treats teaching as a calling rather than a job.
A great teacher should create engaging and meaningful lessons relating the curriculum to the lives of their students, as well as take into account students’ talents and interests. This ensures students’ participation and engagement in the course and allows them to understand the material more profoundly, ultimately leading to more efficient and meaningful learning. Ways in which I implement this into my own teaching is by incorporating differentiated instruction by assigning various kinds of work such as written, oral, and hands-on, giving each student the chance to demonstrate their knowledge in whichever way is most effective for them. Another way I apply this is by giving students choice in their assessments, this can be done by allowing students to choose the topic of a project or the way in which they are going to present or submit the work. I believe this fosters creativity and independence as well as allows students to make the most of their learning.
Just as there are expectations for teachers, students also play a large role in their own education and success; Tabula Rasa is the theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception. In my mind, students are all blank slates that can be taught anything as long as there is participation from both the student and the teacher, and a will to learn. When students enter my classroom I believe it’s important to treat them all as equals and to avoid demonstrating favoritism, and to go into any new teaching situation with an open mind and positive attitude, expecting the best from my students. The same learning goals ought to be set for every student, however the teacher should acknowledge that the road to success looks different for every student and demonstrate this through differentiated instruction. Taking into consideration various factors when evaluating students means eschewing the traditional standardised testing approach embedded in our heads by society and instead viewing students as individuals with vastly different learning styles and unique needs.
Ultimately, I believe the key to a successful education is a democratic classroom in which the teacher and student are equals and learn together. In my opinion, this type of classroom is achieved by following the practices I have listed. Upon writing my philosophy I kept in mind my idea of an ideal teacher from when I was student; the teacher I felt I needed as a kid. At the end of the day, the teacher and student must see eye to eye and have equal intentions for their education for the student to succeed.
A great teacher should create engaging and meaningful lessons relating the curriculum to the lives of their students, as well as take into account students’ talents and interests. This ensures students’ participation and engagement in the course and allows them to understand the material more profoundly, ultimately leading to more efficient and meaningful learning. Ways in which I implement this into my own teaching is by incorporating differentiated instruction by assigning various kinds of work such as written, oral, and hands-on, giving each student the chance to demonstrate their knowledge in whichever way is most effective for them. Another way I apply this is by giving students choice in their assessments, this can be done by allowing students to choose the topic of a project or the way in which they are going to present or submit the work. I believe this fosters creativity and independence as well as allows students to make the most of their learning.
Just as there are expectations for teachers, students also play a large role in their own education and success; Tabula Rasa is the theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception. In my mind, students are all blank slates that can be taught anything as long as there is participation from both the student and the teacher, and a will to learn. When students enter my classroom I believe it’s important to treat them all as equals and to avoid demonstrating favoritism, and to go into any new teaching situation with an open mind and positive attitude, expecting the best from my students. The same learning goals ought to be set for every student, however the teacher should acknowledge that the road to success looks different for every student and demonstrate this through differentiated instruction. Taking into consideration various factors when evaluating students means eschewing the traditional standardised testing approach embedded in our heads by society and instead viewing students as individuals with vastly different learning styles and unique needs.
Ultimately, I believe the key to a successful education is a democratic classroom in which the teacher and student are equals and learn together. In my opinion, this type of classroom is achieved by following the practices I have listed. Upon writing my philosophy I kept in mind my idea of an ideal teacher from when I was student; the teacher I felt I needed as a kid. At the end of the day, the teacher and student must see eye to eye and have equal intentions for their education for the student to succeed.