PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

If a child cannot learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the
way they learn.
Ignacio Estrada
I am not a teacher for me; I am a teacher for my students. To me being
a teacher means being there for your students, giving everything you
can, and making sure you are knowledgeable about your content and
about your students lives. It means much more than just the
credentials, experience and intelligence; a great teacher displays
kindness, compassion, positivity and inspiration. I believe our students
are our future leaders and they each have the potential to bring
something unique and special into this world. By assisting them in
discovering who they are, students will express their own opinions and
nurture their own ideas; allowing them to develop as capable
individuals.
My role as a teacher is to teach to the needs of each student so that all
learners can feel what it is to succeed. Children deserve an education
that is enjoyable, creative, inspirational and fulfilling. I will embrace this
by incorporating these aspects into my teaching approaches that are
based around inclusive practices, where students engage in inquiry and
explore various learning opportunities. I wholeheartedly agree with
Vygotsky in that learning needs to be socially constructed. My students
need opportunities to collaborate with each other through their learning
of various subject areas. I believe using the method of student centred
learning, and incorporating the use of multiple intelligences, is the most
effective way of encouraging students to expand their knowledge and
understanding. By implementing this in my classroom I will be meeting
the learning needs of all my students, enabling them to become life
long learners.
As a teacher I accept that all students are different and that no single
teaching style, lesson plan, learning expectation or project can be

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appropriate for all students. But by practicing the concept of flexible

teaching methods I can make conscious modifications to my lessons to
better meet the needs of my students. Motivation is what I believe is a
fundamental skill for any classroom teacher. Teachers must know how
to motivate their students to listen and learn before they start to
understand any new topic. Each student is motivated by different
stimuli, engaged by different strategies, and inspired by different
internal and external rewards. To generate motivation I will integrate
curriculum that involves the interests and abilities of my students,
constructing teaching and learning experiences around real world
situations making learning fun and relevant to life. By incorporating
themes, integrated units, projects, group work, individual work, handson learning and a class rewards system, I will create an environment of
active learners.
I believe developing goals for students is fundamental to their learning;
however, allowing students to set their own goals gives them more
confidence to take on more challenging tasks. They become active and
independent participants in the learning process, and it motivates them
to achieve their full potential. This also allows students to know their
expectations for learning and how they are to achieve these. As a
teacher the ultimate goal is to promote learning. By creating an
environment that fosters learning and uses the most contemporary and
relative teaching practices, I will be reaching my own goals. I want to
provide my students with the tools to enable them to develop their own
gardens of knowledge. To accomplish this I not only need to teach the
learner in each of my students, but the whole person; including the
intellectual, emotional and behavioural dimensions of each student.
I believe that a childs academic success is greatly enhanced when
teachers and parents are partners in the process. I intend to use a
variety of communication methods throughout the school year to build
and sustain solid relationships with my students parents. I will ensure

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that I provide parents with weekly information about whats going on in

our classroom; what students are learning, what theyve accomplished,
and the learning and growth Im seeing throughout the students. By
focusing on the students and developing effective communication
techniques with parents, we can work together to meet each individuals
needs with the support of both the school and the family.
I envision my classroom to be an environment where everyone who
enters it feels important, respected, cared for and believed in. Students
will feel a sense of belonging and have the willingness to ask for help or
support if they need. My aim is to create an atmosphere that
encourages curiosity and determination; questions are valued over
answers and my students will show initiative across all learning areas.
Students will give and receive feedback, learn from their mistakes,
follow class rules, and be determined to reach their full potential at all
stages of their learning experiences. I will models positive learning
habits for my students to follow helping them to grow not only as
learners but also as everyday citizens of society.
My ambitions for my teaching practices are to positively influence the
lives of my students and provide them with the skills and opportunities
for them to become life-long learners. I believe I can achieve this
through encouragement and support of my students, along with
continuing my own professional development to ensure that I am being
the most effective teacher I can be. Together, we will inspire each other
to be the best people we can and celebrate each others successful and
fulfilling lives.

Aleisha Jarrett

S00133117

EDFD 462