Christian Mangerian

My philosophy of education is progressive based, as the individuality of

each child is important to creating an environment and place where they all feel
belonging. In my classroom/gym, I believe having a stimulating educational
environment where students aren’t restricted to a box but encouraged to find
different ways to develop, both physically and mentally through a place where
they feel comfortable to grow and understand that mistakes are the only way to
learn. The biggest thing though is I want to create that class or place where
students want to go because of their own enjoyment, not by requirement. To
ensure that happens, if age appropriate, students will be the teachers in a sense
from deciding expectations to what sort of assessment they want to have for
this unit.
Through that I will have a student-focused class that will allow them to
create independence and create that environment of care through their own
actions. Having a method of being a progressive teacher will allow myself as a
teacher to continually evolve and have a classroom where the bottom line is
that each student is valued and feels that their presence matters. Using that
teaching mechanism aids the student's needs and learning styles of them will
create an environment that is safe for each of their fellow classmates. Doing this
allows them to build their own ideas as well as take necessary risks to take part
in making those mistakes in order to grow. Making those mistakes is what often
provides the best method of learning, although I as the teacher will never intend
to set them up to fail by giving them the information they need and assisting
them whenever asked for or I see it may be needed. Students learn best by
recognizing their own mistakes and through that build critical thinking skills
needed to later transfer into the real world when they are on their own. Through
this measure of progress students will focus not just on their own personal
growth, but as a group growth. Both my students and I will measure their
growth personally, as a group, and even my growth to better serve the class.
These assessments are a large part of what makes classes mean something so
they will be a part of my classes, but will not and should not have a major
impact on their grade because they will be something to reflect on personally
with growth in each domain in mind. This will also allow me to reflect on my own
teaching styles to improve in order to successfully create lifelong movers.
To maintain a student-focused environment, I will need to promise to
continuously seek out my student’s interests as they develop themselves
throughout my class to enhance their learning in all domains which is why it is
so important to keep it student centered and allow them to have a say in how
the class looks. I believe in order to achieve my goals as well as equity in my
classroom, I will aim to emphasize inclusion by adapting to the needs of my
students. In doing so, I will provide modifications in all activities to
accommodate the uniqueness of each student. Teaching is an ongoing process
of learning and adapting. Through my students I believe I will never stop
learning on how to better my teaching and my students' learning environment
to have the best quality for each of them to grow into a physically literate being.