Teaching Philosophy
To whom it may concern:
Teachers are critical in today’s society as we shape the lives and ideas of individuals. Education benefits all people because it fosters personal growth (Gere, 1992). I want to teach so that I may shape my students into well-rounded people. I want to teach English, specifically, so that I may lead them to critique and analyze the world around them. I want to teach the skills for success in any field they encounter.
Who do I want my students to become? I want my students to be curious individuals who hunger and thirst for knowledge and keep exploring until they find the answers they are seeking. I want my students to become confident people, people who take initiative and do not shy away from making a difference. I want my students to be aware of and educated about the world around them, having opinions they can express and support through reason, research, and study. These are the qualities I want my students to have: curiosity, confidence, and awareness.
Why these qualities? First, curiosity means that the individual does not take what is said for granted. This entails reading novels, letters, and speeches, any text that gives or argues information. The individuals challenge, critique, and argue different positions because they want to know more than what the surface portrays. Second, confidence gives an individual the courage to challenge and question rather than to shy away passively. Without confidence, students give up more easily and do not set high standards for themselves. Lastly, awareness makes learning applicable to real life. Learning is ineffective if it cannot be applied to life situations, such as analyzing and evaluating different perspectives before making a decision. Students will be able to take what they have learned and use it to make a difference in difficult situations. Curiosity, confidence, and awareness shape students into well-rounded individuals.
How will I shape my students? Students must understand that language is more than just the sounds we make or the words on a page. They must know that language is the door to communication, to bigger ideas, to theories, philosophies, and understandings. I do not want to teach facts. I want to teach skills and applications, such as reading, writing, analyzing, and critiquing. I want to communicate with my students rather than have them memorize and dictate. This will be done through open discussions, presentations, and explored questions. This is my vision for my English language classroom.
I hope you want these same qualities for your students and that your vision makes leaders of the world.
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Hlywa
Teachers are critical in today’s society as we shape the lives and ideas of individuals. Education benefits all people because it fosters personal growth (Gere, 1992). I want to teach so that I may shape my students into well-rounded people. I want to teach English, specifically, so that I may lead them to critique and analyze the world around them. I want to teach the skills for success in any field they encounter.
Who do I want my students to become? I want my students to be curious individuals who hunger and thirst for knowledge and keep exploring until they find the answers they are seeking. I want my students to become confident people, people who take initiative and do not shy away from making a difference. I want my students to be aware of and educated about the world around them, having opinions they can express and support through reason, research, and study. These are the qualities I want my students to have: curiosity, confidence, and awareness.
Why these qualities? First, curiosity means that the individual does not take what is said for granted. This entails reading novels, letters, and speeches, any text that gives or argues information. The individuals challenge, critique, and argue different positions because they want to know more than what the surface portrays. Second, confidence gives an individual the courage to challenge and question rather than to shy away passively. Without confidence, students give up more easily and do not set high standards for themselves. Lastly, awareness makes learning applicable to real life. Learning is ineffective if it cannot be applied to life situations, such as analyzing and evaluating different perspectives before making a decision. Students will be able to take what they have learned and use it to make a difference in difficult situations. Curiosity, confidence, and awareness shape students into well-rounded individuals.
How will I shape my students? Students must understand that language is more than just the sounds we make or the words on a page. They must know that language is the door to communication, to bigger ideas, to theories, philosophies, and understandings. I do not want to teach facts. I want to teach skills and applications, such as reading, writing, analyzing, and critiquing. I want to communicate with my students rather than have them memorize and dictate. This will be done through open discussions, presentations, and explored questions. This is my vision for my English language classroom.
I hope you want these same qualities for your students and that your vision makes leaders of the world.
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Hlywa
References
Gere, A. R. (1992). Why Teach English? Language and reflection: An integrated approach to teaching English. Macmillon Publishing Company.