My Philosophy of Teaching

I was nominated for teacher of the year at my school. It’s quite an honor! So, I am currently working on my application for the next round of the process. (It’s due Tuesday.)  One of the questions is to share my philosophy of teaching. I thought I would share it here, too.

___________

I believe students enter my classroom with a thirst for knowledge. I want to foster that thirst in order to enable my students to thrive. It is my goal to demonstrate to my students that science is exciting, amazing, and incredible. I want to instill in my students a life-long love for science. I want them to realize science is all around us and a part of our everyday lives. It is also important that I know what is going on in the realm of science. Discoveries are made in the fields of science every day, and I need to know what those new discoveries are. In order to be the best science teacher, I first need to remember that I am also a scientist.

With my students, I incorporate a variety of techniques to ensure a meaningful experience. Science is something that someone does, so my students need to have a multitude of opportunities to do science. Hands on inquiry is a central pillar of my class. I cannot just talk about science because that would not be an authentic experience. I incorporate labs and demonstrations. I use inquiry and discovery since there is nothing better than to make your own discoveries while doing science. I teach my students to approach problems with curiosity and direct them towards asking great questions. I provide problems with open solutions in order for them to solve problems creatively. I provide a safe environment where it is okay if you fail because in science, we often learn more from our failures than our successes. We learn from our failures in order to find the solutions we are striving towards. I encourage my students to work together in groups because scientists work together as a community. I allow them to practice that in the classroom so that they have a true idea of what a science lab is like.

Technology and science are interrelated, and I am teaching a 21st Century student. It is important that my classroom reflects the technology that my students use at home and will need to know for their future careers. My classroom will be a multimedia experience. I endeavor to keep up to date with new exciting technology that can be used in my classroom. I reach my students in their native digital environment and also enable them to use the technology available to them more effectively. Some of the ways I can do this is using my own created web site that is updated daily, blogging with students inside and outside the classroom, student web portfolios, and incorporating podcasts and other technologies that foster a worldwide learning community.

I want my classroom to be a place where all students are comfortable so that they are ready to learn. I do this by creating a safe environment with clear rules and expectations that are followed consistently. I know my students as individuals, and I do my best to reach their individual learning needs. I differentiate my instruction in order to challenge all students. I incorporate lessons that reach the four learning styles (mastery, understanding, interpersonal, and self-expressive) in order for all students to learn in ways that are comfortable for them and to challenge them to learn in new ways.  I encourage my students and make sure they know that I believe in them and their abilities. I set my expectations for my students high, and I know that they will accomplish the goals I set for them.

Being able to instill a love of science in my students is an honor; it is my ultimate goal for my classroom. There is nothing more rewarding at the end of the school year then to hear students who did not enjoy science when they entered my classroom now proclaim it is their favorite subject. Science is fluid and ever changing, and I want my students to know and experience this. I want to create student scientists who will approach the world with awe, wonder, curiosity and a sense of ownership in order to continue to discover, question, and become an informed scientific member of society.

By Janelle

Space geek, science nerd extraordinaire. That's me! Want to know more, visit the About page.

2 comments

  1. Congratulations on your nomination! I think I would love science in your class. I love the part about learning more from our failures than our successes. It is so true, in writing, too.

    1. Thanks, Kay! That is something I really explain over and over to my students. Often, they get caught up on something being for a grade, but I want them to learn from the experience of failure. Science is all about many failures in order to make small successes.

Leave a Reply to Janelle Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: