PERSONAL TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 1

Personal Teaching Philosophy

Crystal Biggs

Regent University
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Personal Teaching Philosophy

When I began my journey to become an elementary educator, I began picturing what my

classroom will look like, which is a warm, welcoming, and respectful classroom, full of students

eager to learn and happy to be there. While I know this may not occur daily and may take a while

to reach this point, it is a goal of mine. I whole-heartedly believe that establishing personal

relationships with my students will give them the desire to work hard and do their best because

they will know what I expect from them. Furthermore, although I will be the teacher, I think it is

important for my students to learn how to work on their own, as well as together, to reach goals

and accomplish tasks. Providing opportunities for individual and cooperative work will allow me

to encourage them to work towards becoming independent people, to prepare them for the next

grade and most importantly, for life. In essence, over the course of the year, I would become

more of a facilitator, rather than the authority in the classroom.

Based on my values and beliefs, the philosophy I relate to most is Progressivism because

I believe students learn and grow through real experiences, therefore, I will strive to provide

learning opportunities that are relevant, engaging, and meaningful, regardless of the subject.

Whether it is science, math, reading, or social studies, I will attempt to integrate the concepts to

help them connect the experiences, stay engaged, and eager to learn more. Since we are in a

digital age and many students use some form of technology regularly, I believe integrating a

variety of web tools, such as YouTube clips, online book readings, or even websites like

Flocabulary, Go Noodle, and Kahoot! will keep them engaged and willing to participate in

classroom activities. My instructional methods will include cooperative work that prompts

students to discuss the material, whether in small or large groups or as a Think-Pair-Share

activity. In addition, I will give opportunities to work on group projects and experiments that
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require them to inquire and use their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. To reach

students with diverse learning styles, I will plan lessons based on what my students know and

scaffold instruction for those who need extra support. Based on the lesson, I will provide

different activities for these students, such as partner work, flexible grouping, reading a digital

book, or perhaps providing a quiet area in the classroom for them to complete their work. While

I know my school district will require my students to complete certain assessments, I believe it is

important to use formative and authentic assessments in the classroom because they allow

students to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities. Some formative assessments I plan to use

are discussions, performance-based assessments, teacher observations, and even simple enter/exit

tickets. Using ongoing, formative assessments will allow me to monitor my students progress

throughout the lesson and allow me to make changes or review the material if needed. Regarding

classroom management, I believe my role as a teacher is not just to teach academics, but to

educate the whole child, including their physical, emotional, and social aspects. As a teacher, I

will be with my students for much of their day, so I believe I play a vital role in their lives. In

knowing this, I believe my classroom environment should stimulate my students and encourage

them, but more importantly, be a place that makes them feel respected, safe, and cared for. A

strategy I will use is integrating social-emotional learning activities into the school day to help

my students build confidence, make better decisions, and learn how to understand and cope with

their strengths and weaknesses. Some examples include having older students complete journal

entries that focus on self-management skills, while younger ones can play a game focused on

communication. I will also incorporate simpler methods like checking in with specific students

who I feel need help improving their emotions and establish greetings to use throughout the day,

such as heart hands or an air hug. While most of my beliefs fall under the Progressivist theory,
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when it comes to classroom management, I also agree with some aspects of the Behaviorism

theory. Like behaviorists, I believe expected behaviors should be clearly identified to students

and that rules and routines are key components to having a successful classroom. I also find it

important to use reward systems to reinforce appropriate behavior, which also falls under the

views of Behaviorism. Examples include offering specific praise statements and/or implementing

a token economy in which students earn tokens when they are observed doing good deeds, such

as staying on task or helping others without being asked. After accumulating so many tokens,

students can trade them in for a reward. To discourage undesirable behaviors and as a method of

discipline, I believe negative reinforcements should also be used in the classroom. An example

would be removing the student from something they see as good, such as not allowing them to

participate in a class party. In using a combination of these theories, I believe I will be able to

establish and maintain a positive classroom environment that promotes learning for all students.

Although I plan to put these theories into practice when I am in the classroom, I know

none of it will be possible without my faith guiding me. I know I will face fear and doubt, but I

also believe God is always with me and He will always guide and protect me, as He promises.

Furthermore, as a believer, I know God has a plan for me and while I am not exactly sure of what

it is, I often think of the story of Esther and how He put her in a place “for such a time as this”. I

believe I have had “for such a time as this” moments in the past, but I believe I will have more

throughout my journey as a teacher. I know God is putting me in a place for others to see Him

through me. Furthermore, since I hope to teach in a public-school setting and will not be able to

openly share my faith with my students, I feel I will be able to walk out my faith through my

actions, whether through using positive language, being kind, and loving, while teaching them to

do the same, and by aligning my lesson plans to reflect Biblical principles.