Capture queen. 2006. Colour your life. https://flic.kr/p/mpZCv
My Teaching Philosophy
‘Teaching is first and foremost about relationships’ (Groundwater-Smith et al., 2015) I believe relationships are of primary importance for teachers not only with students but with colleagues, families and the broader community. By building positive relationships we understand and have empathy for each other and in addition we approach student learning in a cohesive and collaborative manner: with all members of this network actively contributing to student learning.
Beyond relationships, my teaching goals are to provide a safe environment with clear and consistent expectations for learning and behaviour. Studies show that expectations are linked to motivation and cognitive engagement in learning (Churchill et al., 2013).
Beyond relationships, my teaching goals are to provide a safe environment with clear and consistent expectations for learning and behaviour. Studies show that expectations are linked to motivation and cognitive engagement in learning (Churchill et al., 2013).
“Few, if any, teachers enter the profession with a well-developed philosophy of teaching. A meaningful philosophy of teaching develops silently, day by day, through crisis and triumph for those teachers who are willing to risk reflection about their work and their own role in that work.”
Tomlinson, C.A, & Imbeau, M.B. 2010. ‘Leading and managing a differentiated classroom’. p46. ASCD. http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Leading-and-Managing-a-Differentiated-Classroom.aspx
Tomlinson, C.A, & Imbeau, M.B. 2010. ‘Leading and managing a differentiated classroom’. p46. ASCD. http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Leading-and-Managing-a-Differentiated-Classroom.aspx
My teaching philosophy has at its foundation classroom management strategies that support the social and emotional needs of students as asserted by the humanist perspective of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p. 266). Classroom management reinforces student-teacher relations by facilitating trust in the teacher (Kosnik & Beck, 2011). Adolescent needs are met by safe and consistent classroom environments with ‘tolerant discipline policies’, greater student autonomy in learning and social interaction opportunities(Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p.320). With these needs met, student engagement in learning increases (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p.320), thus justifying the use of classroom management strategies that support the social and emotional needs of students as the basis for my teaching philosophy.
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My classroom management strategies therefore incorporate both interactionalist and non-interventionist theory that support humanist notions of development. Interactionalist behaviour management encourages teachers to consider the source of student misbehaviour (‘attention’, ‘power’, ‘revenge’, ‘inadequacy’) in order to provide an appropriate response that is framed as logical or natural consequences (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, pp560-567). Teachers use “I” when discussing their needs and feelings rather than a potentially adversarial “you” approach (Ibid). Furthermore, encouragement (not praise) is directed at student effort rather than achievement, this approach promotes the intrinsic motivation of students (Ibid). Non-interventionist behaviour management gives students increased responsibilities and roles, this autonomy provides students with greater accountability, self-reflection opportunities and improves their development of self-control and self-esteem (Ibid).
Beyond my mix of interactionalist and non-interventionist behaviour management strategies and my desire to create a fair and consistent environment my philosophy draws on cognitive development theory that is understood from constructivist and social constructivist positions whilst also incorporating information processing theory.
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Constructivist approaches to learning - such as ‘learner-centred experiences’, ‘cooperative’ and ‘collaborative learning’, and teacher modelling, scaffolding and guiding of learning - support cognitive development theory (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, pp220-225). Social constructivist notions of cognitive development assert that ‘learning and knowledge construction’ develops from learner interactions with peers and the environment (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, pp.222-223). ‘Cooperative’, ‘collaborative’ and ‘peer-assisted’ learning form a reciprocal construction of knowledge that extends students understanding (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p.222). Information processing models also provide a useful framework for understanding cognitive development by detailing the processes and connections of information storage and retrieval (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016). Information processing theory describes the building of schemas – ‘networks of knowledge and ideas’ – that support the application of knowledge, and the organisation of information and its storage and retrieval in long-term memory (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p.231). ‘Deep-processing’ of information occurs when the information is retained due to the depth of analysis and from being ‘enriched by association with existing knowledge’ (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016, p.239).
Teaching Practice
I provide collaborative learning opportunities for students that support the social and emotional needs of students and also support cognitive development through peer-assisted learning.
I differentiate learning through diverse practices such as the use of learning matrices aligned to Blooms Taxonomy that allow students to engage with the same learning content albeit with differentiated learning outcomes. I will endeavour to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students by implementing individualised learning programs where appropriate. I incorporate, into my teaching practice, both formal and informal formative feedback to students in a timely manner to evaluate the effectiveness of my programs and clarify areas and methods of improvement to students. Formative assessments are considered integral to ‘effective teaching’ (Brady & Kennedy, 2012, p18) furthermore, feedback given should allow students the opportunity to revise and refine their work (Taylor & Nolen, 2005). I believe assessments should be incorporated into learning and have real-world applicability where possible to encourage student motivation and engagement in learning. Integrating assessments into learning supports an authentic learning environment that better motivates students by increasing task relevance along with opportunities to develop and refine skills and learning whilst also providing the teacher the opportunity to differentiate and individualise tasks (Brady & Kennedy, 2012, pp.18-20). Students should be given explicit expectations for tasks in the form of marking rubrics: these not only assist the teacher to give fair and relevant feedback they also engage students and extend their self-critiquing ability (Taylor & Nolen, 2005, pp.56, 61) ICT capability is also an important component of my teaching philosophy, indeed it is one of the General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum, and I incorporate ICT into learning where possible by requiring students to use a diverse range of digital applications to create products and demonstrate learning. “All children have their own strengths, needs, and interests. Given the enormous variation among children of the same chronological age, a child’s age is only a crude index of developmental abilities and interests. For children who have special learning needs or abilities, additional efforts and resources may be necessary to optimize their development and learning. The same is true when children’s prior experiences do not give them the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a specific learning environment.Given this normal range of variation, decisions about curriculum, teaching, and interactions with children should be as individualized as possible. Rigid expectations of group norms do not reflect what is known about real differences in development and learning. At the same time, having high expectations for all children is essential, as is using the strategies and providing the resources necessary to help them meet these expectations.”
(National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009) cited in Tomlinson, C.A, & Imbeau, M.B. 2010. ‘Leading and managing a differentiated classroom’. p27. ASCD. http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Leading-and-Managing-a-Differentiated-Classroom.aspx ConclusionIt is my goal to provide a consistent and fair classroom environment with high expectations and equitable outcomes for all students. I understand that as a teacher I will require flexibility and resilience in my teaching practice. I will seek feedback from students and colleagues in addition to my own critical reflections in order to evaluate, refine and redesign my teaching practice. I will engage in professional development opportunities and join professional subject area associations to further develop and maintain my teaching knowledge and skills. I am aware my teaching philosophy will remain an ever evolving outlook on which my teaching practice is based.
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References
Brady, L. & Kennedy, K. (2012). Assessment & reporting: Celebrating student achievement (4thEd). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.
Churchill, R., Ferguson, P., Godinho, S., Johnson, N. F., Keddie, A., Letts, W. et al. (2013). ‘Chapter 4: Understanding and Motivating Students’ in Teaching: Making a difference (2nd Ed.). John Wiley & Sons: Queensland. pp. 106-132. IBSN 9781742164748
Duchesne, S. & McMaugh. A. (2016). Educational psychology for learning and teaching (5th Ed). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.
Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R. & Le Cornu, R. (2015). ‘Chapter 9: Communication in the Educational Environment’ in Teaching: Challenges and dilemmas. Cengage: South Melbourne. pp. 232-267. IBSN: 9780170246620
Kosnik, C., & Beck, C. (2011). Teaching in a nutshell: Navigating your teacher education program as a student teacher. London: Routledge.
Taylor & Nolen (2005). Effects of classroom-based assessments on students. In Classroom assessment: Supporting teaching and learning in real classrooms. (pp. 51-69). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.
Tomlinson, C.A, & Imbeau, M.B. 2010. ‘Leading and managing a differentiated classroom’. ASCD. http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Leading-and-Managing-a-Differentiated-Classroom.aspx