Teaching Philosophy

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In my favorite Dr. Seuss book, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day, Miss Bonkers tells her students that the most important thing that they could learn is how to think. As a teacher, we can give students the facts, or we can help them learn the facts through their own discovery. I work to help students learn for themselves, as an education coach, encouraging students to push and stretch themselves beyond what they thought they could do.

Working as a coach to encourage students to think, discussions in class become increasingly useful to accomplish this goal. This works best by creating a “caring community of learners” where students feel comfortable to share their ideas and to come to me when they need help or need to talk. Learning from experience, I have observed that classes where teachers successfully craft this atmosphere create a comfortable place where students are more likely to participate than in classrooms where this in not created. As I work to get students to think and discuss, it becomes vital that the atmosphere is one where all feel comfortable to share.


A variety of classroom activities helps to accommodate all kinds of learning styles. Incorporating a variety of teaching strategies and activities-- drama, science, music, art, and essays-- will allow for students to show what they have learned through modes that they enjoy with real-world applications. They can also use these projects to reinforce ideas and to teach each other and assess what they know in a way that students will feel more comfortable doing than the typical exam. When tests, quizzes, or timed writing assessments are administered, students should view these as an opportunity to show off what they have learned. Students should feel proud of their efforts in class, and tests will be the mode that credit can be received for their effort and hard work.

In a large classroom, it can be tough to cater to all the needs of each student, but I know it is necessary to individualize learning. With so many needs and personalities, it becomes imperative that students receive instruction on their level. My freshmen English teacher, Ms. Hansen, took the time to meet with each one of us after every paper that we wrote. It was in these interviews that I became an exceptional writer. I was able to see her thinking, and with her scaffolding, I was able to strengthen my writing skills. Like Ms. Hansen, I would like to be a teacher that takes the time to meet with each student to know their abilities and strengths in order to help them grow and develop.

My second grade teacher, Ms. Cheney, was the person who encouraged me to write. She believed in my writing and took the time to sit down with me to review my work and to help me develop my ideas. Having a teacher believe in me kindled my love for English. This has been a great influence in my life. I would love to instill this in others through encouragement as an educational coach. I believe that every student has the potential to do great things no matter the skill level they start with in the class, and I want to be the kind of teacher that encourages them to reach their potential.

I hope that students leave my classroom wanting more. I hope that students learn to love literature and to love reading for education, for discovery, and for fun. I hope that students come away with the ability to learn and, most importantly, to think.