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My Teaching
Philosophy by Lyndell Thompson
Education should inspire everyone to live a life immersed in learning
, always thinking and questioning, always reaching to improve their
understanding of themselves, of others, and of the world. It should
also assist students to live their lives in meaningful relationships
and concern for others. Education should teach students to cherish
and enjoy the important, good things in life, and should also teach
the wisdom to preserve them. Education should foster creative, sensitive,
self-motivated students with respect for the authority of knowledge,
justice, and experience. It should encourage students to discover
and develop talents, explore mysteries, and grow in understanding
of the beautiful world around them.
Teachers should be living examples of curiosity, displaying continued
thirst for knowledge, and living models of caring relationships
with others. Excellent teachers share their lives with their students
when it is possible, and contribute a passion for living life to
its fullest. They should teach with enthusiasm with these priorities:
first the student, next the subject matter.
Success in learning is important. Teachers must realize that their
expectations significantly affect student performance. While setting
high standards for each student, teachers should strive for classroom
individualization that communicates the importance of every person
and provides challenges and inspiration to reach the highest potential.
Teachers should demonstrate compassion, striving to develop meaningful,
encouraging relationships with all students.
With all the current technological developments, teachers need to
keep up with the times, and use the best of new technology along
with the best of tried traditional methods in their teaching. A
United States senator once said, "When our perceptions fail
to keep pace with current events, or if we disbelieve something
because it displeases or frightens us, or simply because it is startlingly
unfamiliar, then the gap between fact and perception becomes a chasm,
and our actions become irrelevant or irrational." Students
need to learn more things than ever before to be responsible, well-educated
members of society. Education should include the use of new technology--computers,
multi-media, the Internet to enrich and stimulate students to keep
learning and growing.
The teacher has an awesome responsibility for the learner. If the
student is not learning, then, the teacher is not teaching effectively.
The student is tremendously important and content should be designed
to reach the student. Dumping a bunch of knowledge, no matter how
excellently it is prepared, is useless if the student does not receive
it to learn and grow.The teacher should always have this philosophy
with all students: Failure is not an option so far as it concerns
me. Realistically, sometimes students choose to fail. Since there
is an academic content that should be mastered successfully, (and
that involves studying outside of the classroom), the student has
a responsibility for their own learning. When students are failing,
they should be treated with concern, compassion, and expressed disappointment,
but they should always hear words of encouragement and know that
they are valued.
Students should be encouraged to explore and discover. Teachers
should help all individuals to identify and develop their unique
gifts, so all students continue hoping and dreaming and accomplishing
their dreams. Failure to recognize unexplored giftedness denies
our world creativity and talent. Teaching students what they already
know is worse than a waste of time. It is a chief killer of genius,
imagination and intellect. Teachers need to provide worthwhile learning
activities for all their students. Excellent teachers use patience,
enthusiasm, insight, and caring to create many positive opportunities
for continued achievement. Unless educators believe in students,
and strive to design student-centered learning activities, our world
will lose many potential accomplishments from students whose genius,
aptitudes and abilities were unappreciated.
In the words of Christa McAuliffe, "I touch eternity, I teach."
She stated such a powerful truth. Teaching, touching eternity, is
a delightful, meaningful responsibility as well as a privilege.
Excellent teachers will be communicating more than content, they
will be building memories for life.
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