My teaching philosophy…

Sarah Zellmann
I believe that teachers play a very important role in students’ lives. The role of a teacher
is primarily to help the student learn the topic at hand, but I think teachers can take on
other roles. Teachers can be role models, mentors, confidants, etc. There are many
teachers I remember having who have had an important role in my life. Whether I
learned a lot in the classroom from them, they instilled confidence in me, or they helped
me get through a rough time I will not forget some of the student-teacher relationships
that helped shape me. My high school Spanish teacher, Ms. Stronsky, would ask me
every day how I was doing. I remember having many conversations with her that were
beyond the scope of the classroom. In her student-centered classroom I felt validated as
a person and motivated as a student each day. This is the hope I have, to make my
future students feel this same way.
I believe learning in a classroom setting should always be student-centered. The
students will go on past your class and they need to each be prepared for whatever lies
ahead of them. By using think-pair-shares, flipped classroom, and student-lead
discussion strategies the students will be able to take charge of their own learning. I
believe that each student has great potential for learning, but that each student’s way of
learning is unique. I think that as a teacher in charge of a classroom it is crucial to
incorporate many methods of learning to reach every student. I believe that in order for
a student to open themselves up to learn they must trust you. I will always do my best
to let my students know that I am trustworthy because I care about them. I care not only
about their academic success, but their overall well-being and success as a person. I will
always do my best to be flexible, available, and approachable to them whenever they
need me. Especially in a high school setting, a sense of humor along with a positive
attitude is necessary all the time. I will have an open door policy to make myself
available for students whenever they need help. I will not so much be focused on due
dates of assignments, but on the quality of my student’s work. I will allow students to
redo work I feel is not their best so they are motivated by the acquisition of knowledge
and not the grade they receive. With displaying these values as a teacher, I hope it will
make my students feel comfortable with me, as this is essential to learning.
Learning involves failure and to be okay with failure the students have to be vulnerable.
It is absolutely necessary that each student has been given a reason to care about what
you are teaching them to motivate them to challenge themselves. By comparing
students only to themselves and not the rest of the class, they are the only person they
have to beat. Grading based on improvement and acquisition of knowledge will let
students know that I am rooting for their individual improvement and not simply
focused on the “best students” in the class. No student will open up to learn unless they
trust you to lead them and you give them a reason to care about the material. If they are
only being compared to themselves, they will not fear their grade as much.
I believe that each student is capable of learning and that along with trusting you they
need to feel included. Making each student feel relevant and wanted will reinforce that
your classroom is a safe space to open up for learning. Each student has something
different to bring to the table and should be acknowledged for this in a positive manner.
I will have my students work in groups and partnerships often to practice social skills
and collaboration. To relate the curriculum to each student, I believe that the culture of
the kids in the classroom and the norms of the city/state you are teaching in should be
incorporated into learning in some way. This demonstrates that diversity is a great
thing and inclusion is the only thing acceptable in my classroom environment. For
example, if a class is learning about terrain and the formation of the Earth surface you
could include in a lesson about the bluffs in Dubuque. This would help students realize
the information they are learning is relevant and can be applied to their life.
As a future science teacher, I will always be looking to improve my methods of teaching
and looking for data to support that I am teaching the students better to improve
learning outcomes. I want to be a science teacher because I love the material. I think
chemistry and other sciences help us to better understand the world we live in. I want
to instill my love for science into my students. I want them to know that anyone can be
a scientist. I want them to know that I, as a teacher, will make mistakes because I am not
perfect. I want my students to see me demonstrate this and put it into practice in their
own life. To compliment my love for science I will often use scientifically proven
learning strategies like retrieval practice, spaced practice, interleaving, and feedback to
help my students learn. I believe that informal, no stakes assessments can aid students
well in their learning. I believe that structuring learning using these four strategies will
help my teaching be effective. Formative assessment will help students track their own
progress in preparation to be compared against themselves. Summative assessments are
also going to be included in my classroom, but not so heavily weighted that one test
will sink or swim a student’s grade. Students will have at least one class period to
review in class before a summative assessment. These two assessments will be the
primary methods in which I assess my students.
That being said, I will always be looking for ways to improve. I will mix things up in
my classroom so nothing feels stagnant or repetitive. I am dedicated to bettering myself
and my students. This will ideally facilitate a highly-motivated student-centered
classroom. I will do my best to make each day feel new and exciting for the students
and always put them and their education first.