My Teaching Philosophy.
Learning comes from Active Inquiry. I believe that students learn and retain more when they are actively engaged in posing questions, and investigating relevant problems and solutions. The teacher facilitates inquiry though guiding the process, being accessible when students need help, and providing timely, constructive feedback.
Process is more important than product. “ The goal of education in the 21st century is not simply the mastery of content knowledge or use of new technologies. It is the mastery of the learning process. Education should help turn novice learners into expert learners—individuals who want to learn, who know how to learn strategically, and who, in their own highly individual and flexible ways, are well prepared for a lifetime of learning.” (UDL, V.2, 2008)
The quote above comes from the guidelines for Universal Design for Learning, and it articulates the value I place on process. Each subject area—design technology, literature, theater, or history—gives students a process, which can be employed to approach a problem. If the teacher can “front-load” instruction—for example, clarifying expectations and methodology from the beginning—students can engage more fully in the process.
Meet students where they are. This is a corollary to the idea above. In every group of people, there will be a spectrum of abilities, prior experience, and prior knowledge of the subject. Creative, differentiated assignments allow all students to enter into the work at their level.
Creative work is meaningful work. Allowing students to engage all of their gifts and faculties, their imagination and compassion, intensifies the significance of their learning.
All teachers are English teachers. Language is central to understanding any process or subject matter. It is also central to how we interact with others and the environment. If we are intentional about using language that shows personal responsibility, empathy, and collaboration, our actions will follow our words.
A gentle, respectful Socratic Method belongs in the classroom. I believe in encouraging students to challenge their own assumptions and inferences, but it should be done in a way that shows that you value their thoughts and experiences.
The affective domain impacts learning. Students’ attitudes and prior experiences affect how much they will learn. Effective teachers know their students, and help them develop an awareness of their attitudes, motivations, and learning process, so they can find meaning in the classroom.
Understand the mission and philosophy of the larger institution. The teacher is a representative of the institution of the school, and will be more effective in the classroom if they can articulate the school’s mission to students and parents.
Photo by Lillian Maero, yearbook student. ca. 2012.