Anahi Valencia Trelles

Samra Culum
5 December 2019
Philosophy of Education Statement
Life can be pretty heavy. Life tends to perpetually put us through trials, sorrows, and
experiences that are, at times, difficult to find the purpose in. One thing is certain though, if used
in the right way, writing can be a form of panacea for every broken situation. I discovered this in
my ninth-grade honors English class, when our teacher used an essay to draw out our emotions
and personal experiences that shaped us into the people we are today. Writing has a million
different purposes, but my favorite one will always be its aptitude to heal.
When it comes to teaching the subject of English, my own educational career has instilled
in me the importance of using diverse teaching methods. Lecturing is fine, but it very seldom
keeps the students intrigued. It is easy to lose them when sticking to this strategy strictly. Using
things like videos, audio clips, presentations, or even physical activities will help me keep them
interested and captivated. I keep in mind that every single student is unique to themselves and
therefore has their own specific learning style. Switching up my teaching methods will allow me
as an educator to reach all of them in their own specific way.
As an English teacher I will be in charge of teaching my students things like poetry. Poetry
is tricky, because everyone’s perspective and understanding towards it tends to always be so
diverse and distinct. I feel that as a future English teacher, it is important to respect and not
correct the different points of view every student will have. While allowing them to draw up
their own conclusions as to what the meaning is behind a specific poem, I will help teach them
how to write them correctly by explaining the different requirements each type of poem has.
As an educator it is highly significant and almost crucial that I teach my students how to
obtain a growth mindset instead of a fixed one. Having a growth mindset is something that some
tend to have naturally, but something absolutely everyone can obtain if the right amount of effort
is given. I will make a conscious effort to never give faulty praise that will quickly lead to the
destruction of the value my students give to my words. I will be authentic and truthful. It is
important to me as an educator, that my students do not rely on the traits that are already born
with. They need to allow themselves to fail, and try different strategies because there is nothing
they cannot improve in when their effort and hardwork is given.