Teaching Philosophy

Natalie Weston

There are many skills that are important to be an outstanding teacher. I believe that every
student has the right and opportunity to learn and succeed. Education is the key to success and I
believe that teachers are responsible for facilitating learning environments in which every student
can thrive and grow, regardless of ability or background. I believe in the importance of nurturing
the whole child academically, emotionally, and socially in teaching and helping students to
flourish and grow in all areas. Helping students to develop as well-rounded individuals while
also guiding them into becoming independent learners is one of my ultimate goals in teaching.
Each students brings their own experiences, abilities, and background knowledge to the
classroom and will progress at individual rates that need to be fostered. I believe in creating a
positive classroom climate where students feel that they are able to make mistakes, explore new
content, constantly question everything, make choices for themselves, and feel safe and
comfortable each time they step foot in the classroom. Having a space where students feel
comfortable communicating with one another and the teacher is very important in fostering a
learning community. Communication is also important outside of the classroom. Communicating
and cooperating with parents, families, and other teachers is also very beneficial in order to
collaborate with others to share ideas and knowledge and to reflect on how to become the best
educator possible. Effective teaching is not one-sided and should take place in the form of a
conversation rather than a monologue presented by the teacher. Learning is also not one-sided
and I believe just as students learn from their teacher, teachers learn from their students. Being
an effective teacher does not always mean listening to respond or to create solutions, it also
means listening to truly hear and understand students. Although students come to the classroom
to learn, they also have experiences outside of the classroom that sometimes do not allow them
to delve into the activities planned for that day. Being aware that students have various
challenges and experiences outside of the classroom is crucial in understanding students as
individuals outside of the four walls of the classroom.
Before I am able to best understand how to individualize or differentiate instruction, I
believe in the importance of first getting to know students as individuals so that I am able to
understand how they best learn. Learning what interests and excites students early on helps me as
an educator develop engaging lessons and learning experiences that work to engage all students.
Children have a variety of learning styles and can be visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners as
well as a combination of these styles. Understanding the ways in which students like to learn
helps the teacher scaffold instruction to best meet the needs of all students. Although
differentiating small group or individual instruction is important, it is equally important to
include all types of learners in whole group instruction. Having elements in lessons that involve
visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners gives students maximum opportunities to be successful
in their learning. I believe in engaging as many senses as possible in my lessons so that students
have opportunities to be actively engaged in a variety of ways.
Giving students autonomy in their learning and giving them opportunities to make
choices and participate in ways that they prefer is also an effective way to cater to a wide range
of skills in the classroom. When students are given choice and control in their learning, it
increases their intrinsic motivation which is one of the most successful ways that I have found to
help students become engaged in the classroom. I have also found that anticipating student
responses before teaching allows for me to think about how all types of learners will respond and
allows for me to plan for possible extensions as well as simplifications. I believe that students are
constantly learning from each other and organizing students in groups with multiple intelligences
can be quite beneficial for all students involved. I have also found that utilizing different
participation structures throughout lessons such as turn and talk, small group, and whole group
gives students multiple opportunities to engage with content and ideas. I also consider data to be
an extremely helpful tool to assess to student progress. Continually assessing students using both
informal and formal assessments helps me to understand if students were able to grasp the
content in the way that it was delivered to them. After collecting assessments and reviewing
them, I am then able to see what I need to review or reteach using a different approach which is
crucial in informing my subsequent instruction.
I believe that children need structure. I prefer to use pro-active management styles and
believe that setting routines and expectations in the beginning of the year not only helps with
safety and instruction, but also creates a community where students know what is expected of
them and holds them to high standards constantly. When students' time is structured throughout
the school day, there is more time to be productive and engaged and fewer opportunities for
behavioral concerns. Not only do students need to show respect for the teacher, but the teacher
also needs to reciprocate the same respect to the students. I believe that if I hold my students to
high standards, both academically and behaviorally, they will rise to the occasion. Involving my
students in setting their personal goals throughout the year helps them rise to high expectations
in ways that are challenging yet attainable. Just as students need structure, so does the physical
classroom. Organization is crucial for a classroom to run smoothly. The physical classroom
should be set up in a way that is accessible for all students and allows for student movement
while also having set places for materials and activities. Having a clear schedule and classroom
expectations posted also helps students know what to expect and what is expected of them.
While I do believe in both structure and organization, I also believe in the importance of being
flexible and being able to adapt to any situation that arises.
Just as students are constantly learning and changing, I also take pride in continuing my
education to best meet the needs of all students. I consider myself a lifelong learner and I am
constantly trying new ideas, collaborating with and learning from others, and reflecting on my
practices. I like to be open-minded in the classroom and take into account how students are
reacting to lessons and learning experiences so that I am able to see what is effective and what
can be changed to better meet the needs of all students. Our world today is constantly changing
and as an educator I understand the importance of staying informed about best practices to use in
my teaching. I believe that when students see that their teacher is open-minded and excited to
learn more, they also become enthusiastic about learning and also see the value in becoming
lifelong learners themselves. I want to model for students that we are all human, we all make
mistakes, and we are constantly learning and growing no matter our age so that they are able to
view learning as both exciting and accessible.