Philosophy of Teaching

The teachers I have had who stand out in my memory have some attributes in common: they presented their subjects
in a way that caught my interest, clarified difficult topics and led me through complex areas, and put knowledge into
context so that its relevance was apparent. These role models have influenced my approach to teaching: I view
myself primarily as a facilitator of learning, rather than as an expert who simply delivers information to students.
When planning a curriculum or interacting with students, I am always conscious of their different learning styles and
rates, what they have already learned and what they will need to learn in the future.
I am a proponent of active learning and use a variety of methods to encourage discussion and interaction on the
issues the course presents. One method that I frequently use in small classes is to assign students to come to class in
the role of particular historical in order to debate issues as that character. As part of this process, I ask each person to
base their "character's" point of view on specific historical documents to demonstrate that those experiencing the
same events often believed, and acted upon, different "truths." I also organize debates in which the student is asked
to support or oppose specific arguments advocated by various historians in order to demonstrate that historical
analysis is a creative process, one in which the historian must marshal factual evidence in order to present a
persuasive reconstruction of past events. Students are also empowered to take responsibility for their own learning
by preparing their own questions designed to promote class discussion as well as help other students learn by
preparing and presenting short analyses of specific readings to begin class discussions or working together on
research projects.
In assessing progress toward reaching the high expectations I hold for each student, I offer each child multiple
opportunities for success. Taking into account their diverse learning styles, I provide students outlets to demonstrate
their mastery of the subject through presentations, projects and writing assignments in addition to homework,
quizzes and tests. I am flexible to employ various methods of assessment which will allow my students to
demonstrate their learning accomplishments, as I truly desire for every student to enjoy success in my classroom. I
believe that one can learn from mistakes as well as successes. My personal experience is that I have gained more
insight and learned more through failure than success. Students should be guided through the material and allowed
to make their own successes as well as their mistakes.
While I guide my students on their learning path, my students will have the best opportunity for success in life when
our entire learning community--teachers, parents, administrators, and state officials--works as a team to provide
them the best possible education. Collaborative efforts allow us to learn from each other, to improve as guides on
our quest to educate, and to offer the most relevant education possible for our students. When we accomplish our
goals to instill a passion for learning, prepare all students to become productive citizens and to reach their full
potential, the door to opportunity will open wide for every student.
In summary, then, I am very committed to providing a learning environment that is both exciting and rigorous, one
that empowers both student and teacher in pursuing learning. I devise various assessment strategies that allows me
to fairly assess student learning regardless of the student's learning styles. Above all, I treat my students with the
utmost respect, creating an environment where students feel safe to candidly discuss topics which they might
otherwise be hesitant to address. For all my classes, regardless of size, I pride myself on learning the names of all
my students and treating each student as an individual. Students reward my commitment to them by committing
themselves to the class as a whole as well as to the furtherance of their own education.