PROJECT PLAN

EXPRESSION MODULE
SAVANNA BENSON

DESCRIPTION
I believe teaching is a complicated, multifaceted profession, so I decided to
choose a medium that reflects that as well. The video, much like my teaching
philosophy, has many layers and takes more time than expected. Teaaching
seems simple at first glance, but it soon gets complicated because students are
complicated human beings. My fundamental teaching compliments my
philosophy on life. I believe teachers must remember that students are people
too, and that as social creatures, humans need an emotional connection in order
to learn anything. Much of my teaching philosophy, which is discussed in detail
below, deals with building strong, meaningful connections with students while
balancing technology with nature to create relatable content students can
understand and contextualize.

PROJECT MEDIUM (MULTIMEDIA)

My plan is to present all the information in a “Draw My Life” like video. The
video will include a series of drawings put together into one cohesive video. To
add to the cartoons, there is a voiceover which describes the cartoons
throughout. For example, if someone was doing a video like this and they were
drawing their preschool, the voiceover would be talking about their first day of
school or some similar experience. So, I would draw things that relate to my
teaching philosophy and have a voiceover describing my detailed teaching
philosophy. For example, one of the main components of my teaching
philosophy is preparing students for their lives after graduation, regardless if
they pursue a career in the STEM field, or if they decide to attend college at all.
For this part of the video, I would likely draw a group of students at graduation
throwing their hats with the voiceover talking about how it is important to
support students in their post-school endeavors, whether we necessarily agree
with them or not.
I chose this medium because it is engaging for the viewer while simultaneously
giving the necessary information. The “Draw My Life” trend started on YouTube
as a way for content creators to connect with fans on a deep and personal level.
Drawing and talking about my philosophy could make future students and
families understand my perspective on teaching. This video could create a better
sense of community within the classroom, making it easier for me to connect
with students, therefore allowing me to understand their strengths and
weaknesses. Building community within a classroom means being open with my
students and expecting them to be open with me, so if I am honest in my
philosophy cartoon (for example, admitting that this philosophy will likely change
in the future), then they can understand me better as an educator and as a
person.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF MULTIMEDIA

The benefits of a cartoon video include connecting with students and presenting
my information in multiple formats. Having a cartoon will help my students
connect with me and my teaching philosophy on a deeper level. These students
have grown up in the YouTube era, and they might already be familiar with the
“Draw My Life” flip-book-like cartooning. Not only will students realize that I
have a comprehensive knowledge of technology and social media, but they will
be able to access the video at any point throughout the year. This video could
be posted on my school webpage, allowing students and families to get familiar
with me and my classroom philosophy. Having this video accessible to parents
and guardians would make them feel secure and more comfortable because it
gives them a good idea of what my classroom looks like and how I plan to teach
their children.
Presenting the information in more than one way (both audio and visual) makes
it accessible for a wider variety of people. Strictly speaking, there are no “audio
learners” or “visual learners,” but engaging more than one of the viewers’
senses keeps them more engaged in the presentation of the information.
Hearing a person talk about their philosophy over a podcast could get boring to
some people, and the added cartoons could keep them engaged in the
presentation. Adding the drawings to the presentation makes it seem more like
a story than it does a presentation. This medium also allows students and
parents to notice I am pro-technology and will utilize it often throughout the
school year.

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POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF MULTIMEDIA
I have heard that this type of video can be quite time consuming and I do not
have filming equipment that would make something like this easier. Fortunately,
my laptop comes with a video editing software, allowing me to draw a certain
segment of my video whenever I have time. If I can’t do the video in one sitting,
I can record myself drawing one part of the video at one time and record myself
drawing the other part at a different time, then cut and paste the videos
together into one coherent story. My classes start later in the day, so I can
always film the video before class—especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays when
I start at 12:00.
One of the other challenges of recording these kinds of videos is the filming
equipment. I do not have a tripod or any additional film lighting to make my
project look professional. However, I looked up tips on recording these kinds of
videos, and they recommend placing a camera phone on the edge of a table and
placing the white board or paper directly below. I think this strategy will work
well for me. I just have to experiment with lighting and camera position to make
sure everything is centered correctly in the frame.

DRAFT / COMPLETED PROJECT OUTLINE (OR STORYBOARD)

VOICEOVER: Hello, and today I will be talking about my teaching philosophy.

We have been talking about this a lot in my Exploration of Education class and,
for the first time, I’ve been looking at things from the perspective of a teacher,
rather than the perspective of a student.

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VOICEOVER: As a quick disclaimer, these opinions are entirely my own, and in
no way represent the educational community as a whole. Everyone has their
own teaching philosophies, and the following opinions are not indicative of
everyone’s. Heck, in a few years this might not even be my own philosophy of
teaching.

VOICEOVER: I have been to many schools throughout my time as a student.

I’ve attended five, to be exact. Throughout these five schools, I’ve had a variety
of teachers—both good and bad—who’ve taught me what to do and what not to
do as a teacher. Some teachers, like Mrs. Hammer and Mr. Larkins, taught me
how to be there for students even when it’s hard. Mr. Bartlett and Mrs. Mitchell
taught me how to make each class engaging and how to make content relatable
to students. Mrs. Stafford and Doctor Mor taught me how to be professional
while still maintaining healthy relationships with students. I have definitely
borrowed some of these ideas from the best teachers I had.

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VOICEOVER: I think the main purpose of education should be to prepare
students for life after graduation. Whether they decide to go to university or the
military or a vocational school, they require certain skills—like critical thinking
and teamwork.

VOICEOVER: Back when education was becoming public and accessible, schools
prepared students for the jobs they would have once they graduated, like those
found in factories such as Ford Motor. Now, however, there are too many job
choices to cater to just one, so we must adapt the educational process and
prepare students for life through instilling skills like creative problem solving and
conflict resolution.

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VOICEOVER: There are many duties that come with being a teacher. Taylor Mali
said it best in his poem “Miracle Worker,” teachers are a kid’s janitor or parent,
or even their number one fan. But, he continues, we have to realize what a
student needs and fit those needs. Kids can’t learn if they don’t have everything
they need—whether it be physical or emotional.

VOICEOVER: When it comes to classroom policies and instruction, and I realize

that every kid is different. There are different modes of learning, and not everyone
learns the same. One major component of a successful learning environment is
including different modes of learning, like deductive reasoning physical
movement.

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VOICEOVER: With different learners comes different problems, and it is our job
as teachers to recognize these difficulties and help students overcome them. I
am a huge advocate for differentiated instruction because it builds strong,
healthy relationships between students and teachers which fosters a better,
more effective learning environment.

VOICEOVER: Expanding on differentiated learning, I am an advocate of

environmental education, which involves getting kids out of the ordinary
classroom and into a different, more interactive environment (like the outdoors
or a museum). This is especially helpful for biology, since most things in nature
can be considered biology. So many things we learn in the biology classroom
can be seen outside the classroom that it makes sense to go see the
applications.

VOICEOVER: One of the most important things to keep in mind as a teacher is

that every student has the ability to learn. No matter their background, their
disability, or their overall nonchalance about education, everyone is capable of
learning, and each person learns in their own way. Not two kids will understand
a concept the same way, or even at the same time. Implementing certain

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provisions in the classroom, like group activities, can help kids understand things
from a different perspective.

VOICEOVER: Technology is a great tool that teachers can use to facilitate a

better, more cooperative learning environment. Simple technologies, like laptops
and phones, can help students understand a given topic within the field of
biology. Students could research various things, depending on their preferences.
More advanced technologies, like the Oculus virtual reality system, could allow
students to explore various environments and bodily systems. Once VR is more
readily available for the public, it will be easier and more cost effective to go on
“virtual field trips.” And finally, there are technologies like YouTube and
podcasts, allowing me to keep updated with my students and broaden my effect
as a teacher. Having a YouTube channel or podcast could make it easy to reach
students outside of the classroom environment, making my classroom a more
involved and interactive classroom.

VOICEOVER: Having said that, I do understand some of the difficulties of having

technology in the classroom. It can be distracting, and students can become
convinced they are master multi-taskers, when they do both activities at less

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than their usual capacity. To limit the consequences of technology, I plan on
prohibiting notes on the laptop because students can easily flip between
notetaking and another distracting task. Additionally, I plan on asking all
students to put their phones at the front of the room during every class, so they
are not tempted to look at it during class. This policy could also help me in
preventing any cheating on tests. If students don’t have their phones, I can’t
question whether they are cheating or if they are checking the time.

VOICEOVER: Finally, the most important part of my teaching philosophy is

keeping an open mind. I believe you can learn anything if you have an open
mind. All of the other things mentioned earlier help in facilitating learning, but
true growth is impossible without an open mind and a kind heart. We teach kids,
not brains, and I think it is very important to remember this. Sometimes lessons
won’t go to plan and kids might not find every subject exciting, but if they keep
an open mind in my classroom, they are bound to learn something.

VOICEOVER: I honestly don’t know what the future holds. I know this
philosophy will grow and change as the years go on, and years from now I
might look back at this video and cringe at some of these ideas. I am open to
changing, and I can’t wait to see what my philosophy will look like in ten years.

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ARTIST STATEMENT
In theory, teaching is not difficult. You give lectures and assign
homework, and the students will understand and ace all the tests. However, if
you’ve ever been in a school, you know this is not the reality. The ideal
classroom doesn’t exist because kids are humans and, if you haven’t already
realized, humans are complicated. Kids are constantly distracted by something
going on outside the classroom—whether it be something as simple as Harry
Styles tickets going on sale or as serious as a parents’ divorce. My teaching
philosophy revolves around forming an understanding between students and
instructors, creating an open and welcoming learning community where students
feel comfortable sharing their weaknesses in addition to their strengths.
Successful learning cannot occur without a solid relationship between student
and instructor, and between other students.
Differentiated instruction is just one way of building these relationships.
Differentiated instruction is a teaching method that creates individualized plans
for each student. It focuses heavily on equity and equality. If one student is
struggling with punnet squares, they should get more attention than the student
acing the unit with flying colors. Kagan structures and other sharing techniques
can also help facilitate differentiated instruction.
I believe in making content relatable and real for students. If students
don’t understand why something is important to learn, they won’t want to learn
it. If you take time to explain why cell division matters or how we can see
evolution in the real world, then it becomes more interesting and relatable for
students. For this reason, I am a huge advocate of environmental education,
which changes things up and gets kids out of the classroom and into the real
world. My biology teacher freshman year talked about how he always took his
students on a field trip to the Chicago museum to see the most complete
Tyrannosaurs Rex skeleton found to date. He would then mention the skeleton
throughout the year when explaining certain content, like carbon dating or
evolution. Finding ways to relate real world things to obscure content makes it
easier for students to understand and contextualize.
Technology can be both a great tool and a great hinderance in the
classroom. It can serve to explore different concepts otherwise impossible to
understand, but it can also serve as a distractor during instruction time. Finding
the right balance between technology and in-person communication is vital for
all professions—and especially so in classrooms.

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 I believe the core beliefs that my philosophy is based on will stay the
same throughout my teaching career. I will always believe in creating a safe and
secure learning environment with meaningful relationships with students.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS (OPTIONAL)

Replace this text with any additional comments or observations from your
project experience.

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