Teaching Philosophy

Svinicki (1991) stated in one of his principles that learning takes place when students act on information
in ways that make it more meaningful to them. In today’s generation, students tend to ask whether
things would be a part of what they will use in the future or how could they possibly make use of the
lessons given to them.

However, I believe that the learners may have different strategies with goals that might help them
acquire, select, organize and integrate new knowledge (Weinstein and Meyer, 1983).

Students also tent to easily give up when they face failures in learning something. Since this generation
has given the students almost everything that they need within just a snap of the finger, students also
think that learning can be like that. When in fact, learning takes place when they act upon whatever
they have in mind.

This made the job of the teacher quite challenging. Teachers act as the facilitator of learning where they
would have to provide different challenging and exciting avenues for students to act upon their queries.
It is through this kind of activities where students get motivated and interested. As teachers, it is also
our duty to make sure that students stay motivated. We find ways on how to motivate them, not only
extrinsically but also intrinsically. When it comes to whatever the students are about to learn or the
content of learning, the teacher is the one who makes sure that whatever they are discovering is true
and correct. Most of the time, the teachers act as quality control personnel of learning. In terms of
giving feedback and assessment, the teachers’ role is to make sure that whatever it is that will be given
to them should help them realize the importance of studying and learning such information or skill. It
should also keep the students interested and motivated in doing their best to achieve their goal.
Assessments should not be a threat to student learning, nor a basis for judgement in general. It should
serve as a guide to both the teachers, to adjust their instruction, and the students to check on his
learning and progress.

Since today’s generation require students to possess critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, creative
thinking skills and communication skills, teacher should make sure that whatever they ask students to
do inside the classroom contributes to the development and enrichment of these skills. Also taking into
consideration that it should also promote life-long learning where they can apply these certain learnings
to real-life in the coming years and generations. Teachers can help students value and nurture their
intellectual curiosity by making them realize its importance through the activities that they give. Real-
world situations and problems are great avenues for students to apply all information and skills they
learned, whatever subject matter they wish to integrate. In such ways, the teacher can also help
students in choosing which path to take when they are about to choose their field of work or career. Not
only focusing on the content but also the process of doing such activities.

How to conduct classes

In such a short time in this field of work, I have witness and gone through a lot of challenges, n only in
teaching itself but also in managing myself. Several times came when I nearly gave up because of the
workload. But I went back to the reason why I chose this profession – to help the youth of tomorrow
become better. It is one of my long-term goals to stay in this profession and produce individuals that can
conquer life’s challenges with flying colors. It is my dream to see the world with people who are not only
good in giving and sharing information, but also people with well-rounded personality.
Classroom management may have been the hardest part for me, but it is through this where learning
starts. I may have failed in using a lot of my experimental techniques but I can say that it was all worth
it. It is through these failures where I learned that there will never be the “best” strategy which will
cater the whole student body, only the appropriate one.

Teachers, no matter how far they have gone through and no matter how many challenges we have
conquered, should never stop learning. Even pursuing graduate studies is not enough. Continuing
professional development is really important. As a life-long learners, I wish teachers make time to
improve and make themselves grow professionally.

Practical implications of Cognitive theories (Svinicki,1991)