Before and After - First Draft of Teaching Philosophy

Beyond fulfilling the standardized expectation of a teacher, that being to teach the
fundamentals of the content studied, my objectives as a teacher include; 1) Being a
facilitator of learning, 2) Helping students strengthen their self-efficacy skills, 3)
Preparing students to become collaborative learners in the areas of critical thinking and
problem solving and 4) Providing the necessary tools for students to become independent
and lifelong learners. Furthermore, my overall teaching philosophy is based on two
approaches; 1) Student-centered vs. teacher-centered, which strongly influences studentlearning outcomes and 2) Communication vs. memorization, which deeply helps foster a
strong classroom culture that is receptive and expressive.
In order to have an effective classroom, I make it a point to help students feel
comfortable in the classroom. The key tool in this happening is communication. Effective
communication is reached through a strong and professional student-teacher relationship,
mutual understanding, set goals, and a resilient classroom culture. Having these criteria
allows students to see that I am a teacher who cares about them and is committed to
helping them succeed. Additionally, I make it a point to collaborate with students to help
them discover the meaning behind what they are learning and find ways in which I can
make the content relatable to their day-to-day lives. I always keep in mind the impact that
helping a student feel recognized and valued has on their overall success. Recognizing
and valuing students efforts is what causes a ripple effect on their grade, participation
and motivation.
Although I am focusing on Spanish Education, I hope to give my future students
more than merely the definition of a word, the conjugation of a verb or the correct
pronunciation of words. The reason why I decided to become a teacher is because,
throughout my education, I saw students give up on their academics and think that they
were dumb because they could not understand or do as expected. My goal as a teacher
then is to inspire students to learn and become a better student and a better person. I want
to share my love of learning with as many students as I can and show them that learning
goes beyond right and wrong. I know what it is like to not understand something and
therefore, I don't want to be a teacher who tells or merely explains things. I want to be a
teacher that demonstrates and inspires students to become better citizens of the world. I
believe that education should be about helping each student gain the tools, knowledge,
and confidence they need in order to succeed, regardless of their learning styles.