I’m no Philosopher, but… “My Philosophy of Teaching and Learning”

My philosophy of teaching includes displaying to students the relevance of what they are learning with experiences that can be drawn from those in the classroom (their peers), as well as within their home and community environment.  Students who are active participants in their learning and education will retain knowledge.  Being an active participant does not simply mean to pay attention, or work diligently, but they should know the purpose of what they are doing, and make an effort to connect with what they are learning.

Teaching involves making students aware of what resources they have in order to enhance their knowledge—these resources can be complex and diverse, or simple in nature.  Teachers should teach in such a manner in which they inspire students to seek as much knowledge as possible by using various teaching methods (cooperative groups, non-traditional delivery and assessment) and authentic learning resources.

Teachers are facilitators of knowledge and skills. My philosophy of teaching shows the student and teacher relationship as being a reciprocal process, where questions are welcomed in the classroom setting.  Lessons taught should be a spark that ignites curiosity, as well as sharpen basic skills and thoughts.  Teaching should involve learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Teaching requires making learning a personable experience.  Classes and curriculum should have specific goals and learning standards, but those requirements should be assessed with various forms of assessments.

Courses should be constructed to showcase student growth, and push students, by challenging them to think in a different manner or use different methods to figure out problems.  It is my hope, that my students and colleagues are inspired by what has been taught, and strive to seek out deeper and further meanings and knowledge of the subject matter.  Life is a gradual process, in which lessons are learned at different intervals.  The process of teaching and learning takes the exact same course. Teaching should emulate, model, and incorporate the process of lifelong learning.