Sarah Smith: Philosophy of Education

I believe the purpose of school’s is to provide students the opportunity to be responsible

learners and to prepare students for the real world. School’s purpose is also to help students

figure out who they are as a person. Educators guide students as they find their way in the world.

I am going to teach high school. I realize that high school is the time when students are figuring

out who they are and who they want to be.

I believe teaching should be done with a kind smile and a gentle spirit. It is too often that

I hear students say they don’t want to ask for help from the teacher because they are "mean" or

"unapproachable.” Students can't learn if they feel they can't approach their teacher. I feel it is

my job as an educator to make every student feel welcome and comfortable in my classroom. As

a teacher I must provide a positive learning environment for all students. My classroom will be

student-centered.

I believe a teacher should use a variety of learning techniques. This is because all

students learn differently. I will use many activities to help my students learn the material.For the

students who learn by doing, I will play games such as Jeopardy. I will also have them

make posters on course material. For the visual learners I will lecture using PowerPoints. For

the people who are auditory learners, I will read aloud from the textbook. It is important that I

incorporate all these types of learning into my lesson planning.

The primary goal for students is to be responsible for their own educational journey. As a

teacher, I will act as a guide. It will be up to the student to follow through and do their best. I

want students to gain from their experiences in my classroom the knowledge and life skills that

they can use in their future jobs and college academics. I want my students to gain insight

into their role in the world and their views on life. I want my students to be analytical thinkers.
 I believe the focus of a school's curriculum should be on the core class: English. I

believe this because these subject matters are used in a lot of careers. For example, you need

science classes to be a nurse. You need math skills to be an architect. I think that there should

also be some focus on preparing students for college. This would protect students from going

into college rattled and unprepared.

In my class students will do a variety of activities. Students will do one group project per

chapter covered. I realize some students do not enjoy working in groups but in the work force

they will most likely have co-workers they have to be professional with. I think group projects

are great practice. Also, some people learn best by doing so, and this will be a good way to teach

those students. I will also assign multiple individual assignments for student’s to do such as

worksheets, essays, and more. The activities and tests will help them prepare for tests. This will

help them achieve academic success. I will give one assessment per chapter. This means

approximately three tests per semester. I will also give a midterm and a final. This is because that

is a requirement for most high schools. In college students will have many tests. This will

help prepare them for that.

I will teach with a smile on my face. I want students to feel that I am someone they can

talk to if they have any questions or concerns. Teaching requires dedication, determination,

and patience. I will use all of these skills to help my students. I look forward to getting to make a

difference in the lives of my students.