Danielle Lopes

March 8th, 2024

Geneva College
My Philosophy of Education

My philosophy of education is a summary of the elements of teaching that I find most

important and will implement in my career. The beliefs I have detailed below will drive the way
that I organize my classroom, approach lesson planning, and address my students.
The role of the teacher is to guide students through content in an engaging and intentional
manner. The State Standards for education carefully provide insight for teachers on what
students in their grade level and content area should be proficient in at the completion of their
course. It is the responsibility of the teacher to provide students with opportunities and support
throughout the learning process, affording time for inquiry, instruction, collaborative learning,
successful practice, and diversified assessment. Simultaneously, the teacher is in a position of
responsibility for the care and safety of students. Safety applies physically, and also to creating a
classroom environment of mental, social, and emotional safety. Teachers must be observant and
intentional to set an example for their students by conducting themselves professionally and with
kindness.
Just as teachers have a designated role in education, students have their own set of
responsibilities and expectations. The role of a student is to participate in a way that
demonstrates respect and effort. A classroom should be organized in such a way that students
may be attentive and engaged in their studies, which leads to active participation and authentic
learning. Classroom organization may vary due to subject matter and teaching style. My personal
preference is to have a classroom that allows for students to discuss with their peers and perform
labs/group work with ease. In addition, I find it important to have a classroom that is well-lit, and
decorated with interesting, content-related pieces.
It is my belief that students should be taught and assessed in a variety of ways. Because
there are many different learning styles and preferences, having a diverse set of options in
lesson-planning is valuable. Education should not only focus on addressing the content area at
hand, but should include elements from other classes and daily life, such as communication
skills, technology, discussion, writing, and math. A successful teacher will incorporate
interdisciplinary subjects into her classes.
It is very important that students are given an appropriate amount of autonomy and
ownership in their learning. Differentiation is a tool that a teacher can and should use frequently
to increase student engagement and foster an environment of authentic learning. There are
countless ways that teachers can incorporate differentiation into their lessons, including allowing
students to choose their own topics for presentations, creating assignments that can be done
individually or in groups, and presenting new information using multiple platforms– such as
verbally and written. Differentiation in the classroom is a key element in achieving student buy–
in and active learning.
Of course there are many different teaching styles and there is liberty in the
implementation of these strategies. My goal is to demonstrate genuine care to the youth in my
classroom, as I teach them to understand and apply a knowledge of Biology in their daily lives.