My teaching philosophy has developed from a life-long love of teaching and helping children. My experiences as daycare provider, parent, elementary school paraprofessional, and Faith Leader have provided me with the knowledge and practice of working with and educating children of all ages. These hands-on experiences, paired with my studious dedication to Majoring in Elementary Education, has reinforced my commitment and excitement of sharing my love of learning with others.
The student-teacher relationship is the backbone of a successful classroom. When teachers know their students’ likes and dislikes, hobbies and habits, prior background knowledge, strengths and areas of growth, learning opportunities are customized to each student. I strive to build relationships with my students to optimize their learning experience and make learning fun! Teaming teams consisting of parents, grade-level staff, administration and community resources provides a fun, loving and effective support system for students to do their best work. Morning meetings are a great tool that leads students to amusing and fun interactions with one another, that promotes communication and socialization. I love adding team-building routines and group games to our day. Working together is such an important part of building and maintain a positive climate and culture in the classroom.
Principal-teacher relationships are an important part of the classroom and school climate. I evaluate and reflect on my performance after every lesson and activity. I also provide opportunities and encourage students to do this as well. I appreciate the feedback that I receive as a teacher, so I can further develop areas of growth and build on areas of strength. I LOVE teaching and want to be the best teacher I can be for my students. Working with administration, to increase areas of professional development, reinforces the effort of support to provide each student with the best learning experience possible. Putting your best foot forward every day is a team effort! The structure of positive relationships with all staff, in the building and in the district, enhances the usage of effective teaching strategies, increases staff morale and makes for a positive work and learning environment.
District curricula and state standards each play an important part in classroom lesson planning. Objectives need to be addressed in the beginning and at the end of the lesson so students understand what they are learning. The content of the lesson needs to applicable to real world scenarios and build student interest. Learning objectives and lesson content are important components of curricula, along with learning experiences. The learning experiences that students accumulate are the building blocks of their future learning. These are the lessons that students remember and build on, when learning new information. In my classroom, the learning objectives are visible for students to see. The content and subjects of the lessons are interesting and relatable to the students. The most important piece of lesson planning with curricula, is incorporating a memorable experience to each lesson.
When focusing on students’ learning experiences, there are several things to consider providing each student with the best learning opportunities. To provide each student with the needs to learn at their highest level, is important to keep in mind how each student learns. I believe using different teaching methods like project or inquiry-based learning, integrated and interactive lessons, collaboration, and group work are great teaching approaches that offer learner-centered experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Incorporating frequent turn and talks, technology, and a hands-on experience are also important components of a fun and memorable learning experience.
Classroom management is something that I strive to do well. I LOVE using the gems of EnVoy. Starting with building rapport with students, and paring it with EnVoy, my classroom management skills are effective and operational, which leads to a happy, healthy classroom climate. A few of the EnVoy techniques that I found effective and easy for me includes waiting quietly for the students, with a still body, standing in that “sweet spot” in the classroom and smiling. This is extremely effective in gaining the class’s attention. Using the “Above, Pause, Whisper” technique is also a wonderful tool that allows for students to be in control of their learning, while following the rules of the classroom. I also like MITS; this stands for the “Most Important Twenty Seconds”. Here, I will give students (Exit or Enter) directions and stand in my teaching spot, without moving. I observe as all my students begin their work and then commit to staying on task. This allows for me to see everyone in the room and make sure they are all doing their job. When they know you are watching them, they get right to work! Once everyone is working, I will answer questions and help those in need. Most importantly, it is imperative to communicate with other staff in your room when doing EnVoy in the classroom. It is even more effective when all the adults are on the same page. Another piece of classroom management is having a buddy room across the hall, a thinking spot in the classroom and a reward system in place for the class and for each student. These are significant tools for maintaining a Positive Behavior System. Students feel valued and safe, which contributes to a high-level performance. Each of these components are unique and together, provide a positive and caring learning environment for my students.
Overall, I am a friend to learning and a working partner in providing the best educational experience I can, for every student. I love my job and consistently try my very best to provide a life-long love of learning. I feel blessed for everything that I have learned and look forward to the new relationships, teaching opportunities and learning experiences yet to come.
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