Teaching is defined as “showing or explaining to someone how to do something”. This however is small glimpse into the joy of being a teacher. A fraction of what a teacher does is showing someone how to do something. To teach is to love, model, respect, care, (in many cases) mold and prepare students to become well-rounded citizens of this nation. As educators, it is important that personal beliefs about education be explored. My philosophy of education is based on the classroom and learning environment, in general, to be student-centered.
Currently, I am working in Aldine Independent School District, where I have been employed as an elementary teacher for the last seven years. Teaching in Aldine, where their mission is to prepare each student academically and socially to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and ultimately, responsible citizens, has provided me with several outlooks on education that has led to my conclusion of my philosophy on education.
Understanding that teachers can assist students in becoming these academically prepared, social problem solvers is one thing, however, the steps to helping students reach these accomplishments involves knowing how to “reach” students(wherever they are—academically or socially). I strongly relate to teaching as serving as the "guide on the side", rather than the "sage on the stage”. Focusing on individual student needs and involving students in the process of their learning has proven to be the most satisfying part of teaching every day. It is my belief that individual differences need to be recognized, respected, and even celebrated and that all students have strengths and that it is the purpose of education to assist students in identifying and building upon these. A student-centered environment is one where the teacher is a facilitator of the subject with room for students to expand their knowledge, learning how to ask questions and think critically and creatively (out of the box) on whatever is put in from of them.
Currently where I am teaching it is challenging yet inspiring to teach and reach students that have been left behind because of the environmental restraints and lack of parental support or encouragement. Making a student-centered environment work, I truly feel that a pyramid must be created. Students, parents and the school must build a strong infrastructure to make the learning rewarding, and successful. My goal in teaching is to reach students within their world and show them how exciting the rest of the world can be when they grab it, challenge it and grow from it. The most rewarding part of teaching is when the student leaves more awake than they were when they arrived in my class (my environment). When students are “brought to life”, so to speak, with excitement over the understanding of something they’ve learned so clearly that they want and even desire to TEACH someone else what they’ve learned leaves me with feeling that I have accomplished a small part of my goal as a teacher.