Teacher Beliefs Statement

In the realm of education, there are several different beliefs that shape the way that
teachers teach and students learn. These beliefs are different in particular aspects, but the
underlying objective behind them remains the same to educate students. Reflecting upon my
educational background thus far, I have developed a keen sense of how I believe students learn
and grow in the classroom best.
In my opinion, the purpose of education in society is to combine given content areas with
important skills and tools to prepare students for what the real world entails so that they will be
able to thrive and flourish in society independently. Having a strong background in educational
philosophy enables ones teaching to be rooted in the likeness of said theories. Many teachers
choose to align their teaching with a mixture of these theories as I do. From a personal
standpoint, the educational philosophies that I feel adhere to my style of teaching are
Progressivism and Post Modernism. I plan to adopt the concept of a problem-solving and
cooperative learning environment that allows students to be actively engaged and reflective
learners. As Dewey stated, students learn best through hands-on experience. This means that I
will have students working on teams and in pairs to discover the process of how the content
relates to the real world as well as being critical thinkers. Assessment will consist of many
formative assessments throughout the units to do a self-check on what students may need to
spend so extra time delving into. In addition, I will assign project-based assessments that enable
the students to unleash their creativity. My role as a teacher in the class will be to serve mostly as
a guide and a facilitator and to be a model for how I expect students to treat themselves and
others.
A rich understanding of human development and psychological learning attribute to a
teacher that knows their students. It is near impossible to have a supportive and growing
environment if teachers ignore all aspects aside from their content. Because I will be teaching
high school students, it is important to recognize what they are actually dealing with internally.
Not only are their brains achieving a point to where they can think abstractly as Piaget says, but
it is also important to recognize that students develop at different rates. In my classroom, I plan
to vary my instruction, because I realize that students respond differently to styles of teaching.
Targeting their learning styles and even their multiple intelligence types that were developed by
Gardner will keep students from becoming disengaged. Most importantly, I feel that students
learn new material best by experience. The I do, we do, you do method will instill several
different ways of presenting new material as well as allowing students time to get comfortable
with a new concept.
Overall, teaching is not a point-blank profession. While it is important to understand the
theories and driving forces behind education, the most treasured aspect to gain greater
knowledge in is my students. My beliefs behind education all lend themselves to putting students
first and understanding that they will be learning and growing through this process just as I will
be. By understanding that all students are unique and require some individuality, I will cater to
their educational needs by fostering a collaborative learning environment that enables them to
stretch their learning limits and become well versed for their futures.