Somer Sharp

My Teaching Philosophy

 

         Every child is different, but we as teachers are required to teach them all in the same class, and therefore need to be careful to incorporate each student uniquely.  One of the most important things is to cater to the different learning styles in every lesson by incorporating pictures and videos for visual learners, lectures for the auditory learners, and hands on activities for the kinesthetic learners.  Every lesson should have a project that goes along with it where the students can apply the knowledge they have acquired in a more fun and interactive way.  There are also some students who learn better in groups, whereas others work better alone, so incorporating both group and individual activities, or giving a choice between the two, will allow both types of students to work in their best environment.  Repetition is also useful for any student to not only better comprehend, but remember later what is being taught.

         Being a teacher isn’t all about the textbook lessons, most of the quality in a teacher is found in the way they treat and interact with their students.  A teacher needs to always be encouraging and constructive.  However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t correct a student or critique in a kind and helpful way.  Both positive and negative feedback are critical to a productive classroom.  Teachers also have to realize that everything they do and say is being seen and heard by their students, so they have to be careful to follow their own rules and to make sure that their actions don’t contradict their expectations of the students.  Consistency is very important in a classroom, not only being consistent with your own actions, but with each student’s actions, as well as not showing any sort of favoritism or slacking on some rules but strictly enforcing others.  Important characteristics to be found in a good teacher would be immense amounts of patience and understanding, along with the ability to prevent your mood from affecting your behavior in the classroom.  Even teachers can’t be perfect, but as long as they are in tune to their students needs in the classroom and meet them to the best of their ability, they will be successful.