Running head: STATEMENT OF PERSONAL Sutton 1

Statement of Personal Teaching Philosophy

Maria Sutton

Regent University
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Framework Statement

I believe all students should have the right to learn in a way that sparks their curiosity

and pushes them toward personal growth because they are unique individuals created by God.

Evolution of Beliefs

Before beginning student teaching, I wrote down much of what I believed about

education. My interactions thus far with students and fellow teachers, however, have allowed

me to expand upon my beliefs and pinpoint them with more clarity and accuracy. With that

being said, I still hold firmly to my foundation of faith and emphasis on students as unique

individuals. My faith affects every aspect of my life, and I believe it is essential for me to briefly

describe it before expressing the ways in which my beliefs have evolved over the past year.

I believe in absolute truth, that there is a God and He created humans, loving us so

much that He sent His son to die for us because of our sinful natures. As a result, we can live

with Him forever in eternity if we choose to accept Him and live according to His will. I believe

God has given each person a purpose, and His plans for us are so much greater than our own. In

the classroom, my faith looks like patience as I try to understand where students are coming

from when we do not see eye to eye. It also involves positive affirmations, especially towards

students who have little support from family or friends. In general, I hope my faith looks like

love. Love for my job, love for my students, and love for myself and ultimately God. Paul

mentions love in 1 Thessalonians 3:12 when expressing his wishes for fellow believers. “May

the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all

people” (Foundation, 2018). This vivid image of an active type of love is exactly what I try to

share with students. After all, students need teachers who will not only guide them through
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their education, but serve as moral role models and leaders who encourage them to be the best

versions of themselves they can possibly be.

As I mentioned earlier, most of my beliefs about education have remained the same. I

believe students should have real-world opportunities to practice their skills in a variety of

areas and that they typically learn best through hands-on experiences. I also believe every

student should receive differentiated instruction; activities will engage students by allowing

them to be creative and connect their personal interests with the subject matter. Finally, I

believe in the inclusion of all students and the importance of each student’s individual voice as

a writer. I hope students will resonate with a piece of literature and let it inspire them to create

their own because their voice matters. On that note, one area I heavily prioritize is the mental

health of every student. Due to the effects of the coronavirus, prioritizing this area is both

significant and necessary now more than ever. Although my job is to teach students standards-

based curriculum, I will adjust my lesson plans accordingly if students cannot focus on

schoolwork due to social events that weigh heavily on them. This may look like taking time to

discuss worries or frustrations before redirecting our focus as a class.

Goals and Expectations

The goals I have for my students include meaningful participation, increased 21st century

skills, and individual growth both personally and academically. These relate to my personal

teaching philosophy because I believe students should always be learning and growing as

individuals. I want my students to realize their potential and use their natural gifts and abilities

to help others. After all, much of learning occurs through communication and collaboration

with others. In my class, I want students to learn and practice clear communication through
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writing and speech. I hope they will be interested in class discussions on a variety of ideas and

topics because this will allow them to practice these skills and many more.

In regards to specific content I expect my students to learn, the first concept addresses

reading comprehension. Students should be able to read a work and discuss it in writing or

speech. Students should also be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in writing by correcting

improper grammar and crafting their own essays and journal entries. Other important concepts

include textual analysis, summarization, and figurative language. An understanding of major

writers and their works is important as well, although I hope to incorporate a few newer texts

to balance out and shed light upon the classics. Behaviorally, I expect students to respect

themselves, their classmates, and myself. A nurturing classroom environment begins with me,

yet I rely on students to do their part by refraining from speaking or spreading negative, mean-

spirited messages of any kind. Positivity will be encouraged and destructive thoughts or

behaviors will not be tolerated. Overall, I plan to model the content I teach as well as the

character traits I hope many of my students will adopt as they learn more about themselves

and the world around them.

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References

Foundation, L. L. (Ed.). (2018). Amplified reading Bible: A paragraph-style amplified Bible for a

smoother reading experience. Zondervan.