Abbie Miller

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is about impacting the way a student views school. I urge my students to feel

inspired and excited to come to class. At the beginning of class, I make sure to welcome each

student and discuss how their day is going. Even a little conversation can impact their day. I

enjoy getting to know my students and being able to relate to them. It is necessary for my

students to trust me and have fun, while still respecting me. As a teacher my job is to engage the

students to take part in the activity. If I see a child sleeping or on their phone during a lesson,

then I am not doing my job correctly. The lessons I create promote participation and active

listening. Students should listen to me as well as their peers. Being able to share their ideas with

the class creates a safe environment.

Alternate seating is a key role in my classroom. Students should be able to sit on bean

bags, a couch, or the floor as long as it does not affect their work. Most students do not want to

stay in their seat all class; they want to get up and move around. That might include a walkabout,

working with the smartboard, or brain breaks. Moving around gets the students bodies flowing

and decreases the possibility of them getting bored. They get to interact with students and it

brightens their mood. To engage the students, a hands on activity requires students to get

involved and challenge themselves. They might experience an obstacle that they have to work

with others to overcome. Putting students in groups where they each take a different role teaches
them about teamwork. Working with their peers may help the students step out of their comfort

zone and interact with other students.

Motivating students is the hardest part of teaching. Some students come in with a positive

attitude and ready to learn, while others come in with a negative attitude. They may have stuff

going on outside the classroom that is affecting their attitude or they simply may dislike the

subject. I had a high school teacher who changed my whole perspective on history. Before her

class, I dreaded going to history but she made class enjoyable and helped me understand the

material. She spent extra time to make sure I understood the information. She inspired me to do

the same with my students. To motivate students to get involved, I try to relate lessons to their

life. If they can relate to the topic, they are more interested. I confirm that they are retaining the

information and ask them questions to analyze what they have learned. I will always make sure

my students are enjoying class while learning new things.