Philosophy of teaching

Sarah McMahon
4/22/15

If you were pulled aside during class by a teacher so that they could tell you
were too dumb to be able to play a certain role in the school play how would you
feel? This was exactly what I was told as a sixth grader. I auditioned and was

excepted to the lead role within my schools musical only to be told that because I
had a memorization problem, that was falsely given to me by my sixth grade
teacher because I had trouble spelling and doing quick times tables, I would not be
given the full lead role. That year the main role of Rosie in the show Really Rosie
was played by myself and another sixth grader. I was given fewer lines less onstage time, and a shorter solo song. Back then I was absolutely devastated but as I
grew and pushed past the false diagnosis I was given in sixth grade and reached
for my dream of becoming a musician. As I became closer and closer to my
graduation date I slowly realized how much both my good and my bad experiences
with teachers and teaching have shaped my ideas of what is important with every
classroom.
The classroom has always been a highly complex organism within the school.
While it does not seem complex from the surface, when the classroom is put under
the microscope, it is easy to see the intricacies. Teachers must be up for the task of
learning how each classroom works, and manipulating their teaching to each
specific classroom. Teachers may not have an issue adapting to the traditional
classroom learners, but what does this mean for students who may not be a
traditional learner and for students with learning disabilities? Teachers should be
able to reach each student in the classroom and help every learning type
understand the information by incorporating information for all learning types.
Within my classroom I hope to not only individualize the teaching to each student,
but I also look to provide a safe environment for all of my students to become
inspired by music even if they do not peruse music as a career.
Through my teaching experiences and overall maturing at Westminster Choir
College I have come to understand that each student within the classroom is
different. This statement is true for the standard student all the way to student
with disabilities. When I step foot into a classroom one of my first thoughts s always
what kind of people am I teaching? I may be working with students who have no
disabilities at all but they may have severe pressure from home to do well in school,
or they may have no pressure at all. Through getting to know each student, not only
through schoolwork but through classroom conversation and interaction as well, I
have been able to connect topics that I am teaching to my students in a more
meaningful way. Connection within the classroom comes from teacher student
interaction, but it also comes from knowing different types of disabilities of students
and understanding how to help them achieve within your classroom. Understanding
the regularly spotted limitations to students, which are ADD/ADHD, physically
disabled students, and autistic students I can tailor my teaching to provide a better
learning environment for every student who steps into my classroom. Students with
ADD and ADHD tend to have a very hard time paying attention in classrooms if they
are required to sit still for long periods of time. Students with ADD and ADHD also
may do various things on impulse without thinking about the consequences of their
actions. As a teacher I should be able to provide these students with opportunities
to move or to have a fidget tool like a small beanbag so that they can focus more on
the learning during class. I know that I have to treat students disabilities differently,
because they learn differently. Within my teaching experiences I have taught

students who are on the mild all the way to the severe part of the autism spectrum.
Because of the nature of autism and the other mental disabilities I have
encountered I make it a point to provide opportunities for learning different social
experience and cues within the classroom without alienating the students who I am
trying to teach. Asking classroom aides as well as different in-school therapists
about how to help a student with a learning disability benefits not only the
particular student, but the whole class as well.
One of the best ways that I have found to engage many different types of
students, and provide attention to students with disabilities is through the use of
differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is the idea of having multiple
ways of assessing and teaching your students this way if one type of assessment or
lesson does not work well with a learning type or disability you can change to a
different style of assessing or teaching your students. Differentiated instruction
incorporates group decisions, where the teacher will ask their students how they
would like to learn, and how they learn best. This provides students with opportunity
to have input in the class, as well as helping the teacher understand what the
students are comfortable with, and what will challenge them, as well as giving the
teacher an opportunity to better understand their students as individuals.
Creating a safe space within a learning environments another extremely
important ideal within my teaching because of my previous experiences. Having a
place where you feel comfortable to open up to your peers or your teacher about
something that has been upsetting you is crucial for all students, especially ones
who are in middle school and high school. As a teacher I will have an open door
policy, this means that I will always have my door open so if a student needs to
explain a troubling situation or if they just need somewhere they feel that no harm
will come to them. As a high school student I had that safe space within my choir
room and because of that I was able to get advice from teachers I trusted. I know
that if I had been without a space where I knew my peers were going to treat me in
a kind matter I would not know where I would be today. I know that I will also
promote kindness in every class I teach. Even if two student do not get along I will
make it a point to facilitate calm, level-headed discussion between the students to
solve problems.
Solving problems and fixing relationships is part of a wider type of social
learning that I will also promote within my classroom. More and more teachers are
being asked to prepare students to be part of the real world. This does not just
include the teaching basic school learning, teachers must now teach students how
to problem solve, and cooperate with others. These real world skills is so valuable
for all students to have and I think that every activity in every class has an
opportunity for students to practice problem solving, cooperating, empathizing with
others, and other social skills that students will need in everyday life. These skill will
benefit students weather they go to college or go straight into the work force.
Though real world skill are extremely important I think that one of the most
important things you can do for your student is to drive their passion for doing what
they love.

If you dont follow your dream you will regret it for the rest of your life. I know
that if I had not followed my love for music I would be graduating unfulfilled. This is
not to say that you can only love only thing and you must stick to it. Giving students
opportunities to experience many different things with in the classroom and form
opinions on the subjects is another important part of being a teacher. I know I would
not be where I am without the passion of other teachers and choir directors who
showed me not just through inspiring words, but through their actions, the power of
following passions. As a teacher I will always be asking my students to take in many
different experiences and to form opinions as well as dive deeper into learning
about topics that truly interest them. As a teacher once told me we stand on the
shoulders of the ones who have come before us. I will keep this quote with me,
knowing that as a teacher I am not only teaching them the music that I know but I
am also inspiring my students through my own actions and love for music.