Philosophy of Education
In French, the verb apprendre means both to teach and to learn. In my opinion, this illustrates the truth that teaching does not exist without learning and learning is impossible without teaching: one cannot exist without the other. The transfer of knowledge is always interactive and collaborative. As a teacher, each time I interact with my students, I learn more about how they process information, how to support them as a learner, and a bit of how they comprehend the world. On that note, I teach my students the same information about myself while teaching my subject area. Thus, each of us fills the role of teacher and learner simultaneously. That same relationship applies when addressing small groups or the whole class. Even though the same students make up these groups, dynamics change because of the different people involved: new information is given, gathered, and processed by both the students and the teacher. As a teacher, I want to always be learning from my students as much as I am teaching them.
I believe a classroom must be as challenging as it is supportive. Students must take risks and make errors in order to grow. Learning by trial and error is the learning process itself. Students must be actively engaged with the material in order to begin to master it. Risk-taking is essential to learning because a student must be willing to be wrong, in order to feel the joy and excitement of being right. It is my job as a teacher to create an environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. I need to ensure that students understand the only way to truly fail is to give up and stop trying—especially in the domain of second language acquisition. Therefore, I must emphasize effort, participation, and patience while supplying encouragement, constructive criticism, and more patience.
At the same time, learning a second-language requires learning about another culture. I hope to introduce my class to perspectives that differ from their own to encourage and foster empathy, tolerance and acceptance—as these are essential qualities to have in a globally connected society. Students need to feel comfortable hearing different views so as to learn how to interact with people who come from another culture. In order to engage students, I plan to use authentic material, which is readily available online and integrates technology into the classroom. Students will experience what the French think, what they eat, how they talk, and how they view the world by using material made by the French community. Through this approach, I can introduce my students to the French language and culture in a meaningful way while developing their competency in 21st Century skills.
I want students to become their own advocates in the learning process by taking responsibility for their growth as a student and member of the American democracy. I want them to value themselves as an individual and understand the importance of the choices they make and the consequences that ensue. I believe it is my responsibility as a teacher to facilitate students’ growth, as they become young adults who are able to participate in our democracy. This is a huge responsibility that requires an educated citizen who continually searches for new information in order to make informed decisions that affect our nation. Therefore, as an educator, I strive to instill a thirst for knowledge, which transforms into a life-long quest for new knowledge that never ceases—just as my teachers have done for me.
I believe a classroom must be as challenging as it is supportive. Students must take risks and make errors in order to grow. Learning by trial and error is the learning process itself. Students must be actively engaged with the material in order to begin to master it. Risk-taking is essential to learning because a student must be willing to be wrong, in order to feel the joy and excitement of being right. It is my job as a teacher to create an environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. I need to ensure that students understand the only way to truly fail is to give up and stop trying—especially in the domain of second language acquisition. Therefore, I must emphasize effort, participation, and patience while supplying encouragement, constructive criticism, and more patience.
At the same time, learning a second-language requires learning about another culture. I hope to introduce my class to perspectives that differ from their own to encourage and foster empathy, tolerance and acceptance—as these are essential qualities to have in a globally connected society. Students need to feel comfortable hearing different views so as to learn how to interact with people who come from another culture. In order to engage students, I plan to use authentic material, which is readily available online and integrates technology into the classroom. Students will experience what the French think, what they eat, how they talk, and how they view the world by using material made by the French community. Through this approach, I can introduce my students to the French language and culture in a meaningful way while developing their competency in 21st Century skills.
I want students to become their own advocates in the learning process by taking responsibility for their growth as a student and member of the American democracy. I want them to value themselves as an individual and understand the importance of the choices they make and the consequences that ensue. I believe it is my responsibility as a teacher to facilitate students’ growth, as they become young adults who are able to participate in our democracy. This is a huge responsibility that requires an educated citizen who continually searches for new information in order to make informed decisions that affect our nation. Therefore, as an educator, I strive to instill a thirst for knowledge, which transforms into a life-long quest for new knowledge that never ceases—just as my teachers have done for me.