DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

    My definition of a teacher is someone who is capable of cultivating the mind, of a variety of different learners, by nourishing it with information and ideas. Furthermore, a good teacher also uses various teaching skills, analyzes any teaching situation thoroughly, applies scientific findings when applicable, and incorporates an artistic dimension into teaching.

 

    My personal belief is that anyone is capable of learning, but everyone has a different way of absorbing the information given. For example, some students may learn their multiplication better through visual aids, while other students learn it through a rhyme or song. I believe that a teacher should teach most of the required subjects through a series of worksheets and examinations, however, learning should also be exciting and creative. Setting a strong foundation for the essential facts and skills in education, such as English, Math, Science, History, and a foreign language are important, however, a teacher should be able to emphasize a lesson creatively, rather than using strict repetition. I believe that my teaching philosophy is somewhat more contemporary and liberal than it is traditional and conservative.

 

     Lastly, I would place myself on a borderline between being an Essentialist and a Progressivist. I am part Essentialist due to the fact that I see education as a mastery of essential facts and skills, such as English, Math, and Science. However, I would never reject art, music, vocational ed., or physical education, as Perennialist do. I am part Progressivist because I believe that learning must include content plus the skills of learning—problem solving, cooperative behaviors, scientific inquiry, and self-regulation. Overall, memorization would be de-emphasized. My teaching methods would not be based on authority, and my curriculum would be interdisciplinary. All in all, as a teacher I would portray myself more as a guide, rather than an all-knowing sage.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.