Philosophy of Teaching and Classroom Management - Essay Example

Philosophy of teaching and classroom management Introduction Although teaching is an exciting and fulfilling vocation, it can sometimes be challenging and stressful due to disruptive student behavior, lack of motivation among students and diversities within the classroom. When teaching, teachers are sometimes bound to encounter students with emotional and behavior problems who instigate erratic or disruptive behavior in the classroom. Disruptive behavior in the classroom is a major concern for most teachers since it inhibits proper engagement in learning (McGrath & Huntington 2007; Baker 2005). Similarly, teachers are bound to encounter students who are not motivated or willing to learn. In addition, growing diversity within the classroom poses a challenge to teachers on how they can meet the specific learning needs of each student. In this paper, I will discuss my personal philosophy of teaching and classroom management. Basically, I will illustrate how my personal philosophy of teaching and classroom management and the knowledge I have gained throughout the education course will help me as a graduate teacher in a new school to overcome challenges revolving around disruptive student behavior, lack of motivation among students and diversities within the classroom. My teaching philosophy As a teacher, I strongly believe that establishing healthy relationships with students plays a fundamental role in realising positive learning outcomes among students. Good teacher-student relationships enable students to experience a sense of safety and security and as a result, they are able to open-up and communicate freely and honestly about issues pertaining to their learning. This in turn enables teachers to provide proper guidance to students and effectively meet their learning needs. Hawk, Cowley, Hill & Sutherland (2003) note that good teacher-student relationships motivate students to learn and actively participate in learning. Similarly, Baker (1999) notes that good relationships and interactions between student and teachers lead to better student outcomes. During my course in education, I learnt about the importance of developing a rapport with students in order to connect with them and effectively meet their learning needs. Over time, I have learnt that the lack of a good rapport between the teacher and students makes it difficult for learners to learn effectively. Therefore, my personal philosophy on teaching emphasizes on the need to create loving, respectful and caring relationships with students. I believe that building a good rapport with my students will eventually enable me to connect with them and learn about their learning needs, interests, areas of weakness and strengths. Moreover, I believe that developing loving, respectful and caring relationships with students can help me as a graduate teacher in a new school to overcome challenges revolving around disruptive student behavior and lack of motivation to learn among students. For instance, when relationships between teachers and students is characterised by mutual respect, care and concern, it becomes easy for teachers to understand the needs or concerns of students and find appropriate ways of addressing these needs. For students who lack motivation or interest towards learning Hawk et al (2003) predicts that good teacher-student relationships motivates students to learn and actively participate in learning. Good teacher-student relationships also enable teachers and students to communicate effectively. Effective communication between teachers and students plays a critical role in minimising disruptive behaviour within the classroom. When students respect and care for their teachers they are bound to listen when teachers communicate to them regarding what is expected of them in the classroom (Hawk et al 2003). I strongly believe that active learning is one of the best teaching or learning approach. This approach to learning emphasises on student’s active participation during the learning process. I believe that learning is holistic in nature thus it surpasses mere memorization of information and facts. An effective learning process should equip students with relevant skills, knowledge and the right attitudes and values that will enable students to become critical thinkers, problem-solvers and valuable members of the society. I personally think that traditional approaches to teaching and learning such as direct instruction are ineffective when it comes to equipping students with the right knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. This is mainly because traditional approaches to teaching and learning such as direct instruction emphasis on a one-way transmission of information where learners are passive and teachers are directive. I consider this as “spoon-feeding” since this approach to learning does not provide students with the opportunity to explore or think critically, instead it makes students redundant (Delors 1996; Evertson & Weinstein 2006). However, an active approach to learning is effective when it comes to equipping students with the right knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. An active approach to learning provides students with the opportunity to explore, experiment, inquire, interact with others and make a contribution in their own learning. My belief in the effectiveness of an active approach to learning is founded on Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development which suggests that children learn best through interaction, exploration, active engagement and participation (Smidt 2007). Furthermore, beliefs in the effectiveness of an active approach to learning are founded on Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning which accentuate that learners should have a certain level of control over the content and direction of their own learning (Caldwell, 1997). When using this approach, I ensure that I involve students in the planning process by giving them the opportunity to express their ideas and opinion. In this case, the process of learning is student-centered since it is based on the needs, preferences and interests of the students. When using this approach, my role as a teacher entails guiding and facilitating children’s learning process. As a result, students become progressively self-sustainable in their own learning (Broderick, 2004). As a graduate teacher in a new school, I believe that employing an active learning approach when teaching students will help to address challenges revolving around lack of motivation among students and diversities within the classroom. An active approach to learning can help to instigate student’s interest and motivation towards learning. Basically, an active approach to learning incorporates a wide range of learning activities that are fun, engaging and interactive. In practice, an active approach incorporates learning activities such as class discussions, field work, debates, story-telling, play-based learning activities and written learning exercises among many other learning activities. Through these activities students are able to express themselves, interact with others, develop their creativity, explore and experiment on different learning aspects. When students actively participate in these learning activities they are instinctively bound to become motivated to learn (Broderick, 2004; Caldwell, 1997). In addition to this I believe that, as a graduate teacher in a new school, implementing an active learning approach will enable me to effectively address challenges revolving around diversity in the classroom. Effectively meeting the specific learning needs of students in a diverse classroom comprising of students with different learning needs and abilities has proven to be challenging for most teachers. Every classroom comprises of a diverse combination of students with different social, emotional and intellectual capabilities and needs. As a result, each student has their unique way of learning and interacting in their learning environment. Hence, using a traditional approach to teaching can be ineffective since it is standardised and rigid in nature. However an active approach to learning is flexible and incorporates a wide range of elements that can be easily manipulated in order to meet the specific needs of each student in a diverse classroom. In practice, an active approach to learning is student-centered. I believe that using a student-centered approach in the new school will enable me to efficiently cater to the specific learning needs of each student. According to Pettus & Blosser (2001), student-centered approaches to teaching are more effective than traditional teacher-centered approaches to teaching since they are embedded on active learning thus providing a platform where students can explore, inquire, share ideas, interact, solve problems debate and discuss. This approach to learning also enables students work in teams and develop interdependence, accountability and social competences. Additionally, it helps to motivate students to learn and helps them to build their confidence (Johnson, 1991; Alexander & Murphy, 2000). Conclusion In this paper, I have illustrated my philosophy of teaching and classroom management and the knowledge I have gained throughout the education course and how these ideals and knowledge will help me as a graduate teacher in a new school to overcome challenges revolving around disruptive student behavior, lack of motivation among students and diversities within the classroom. Basically, my teaching philosophy is embedded on developing good relationships with students and employing an active approach to teaching and learning. I strongly believe that establishing healthy relationships with students plays a fundamental role in motivating students to learn and minimising disruptive behaviour in the classroom (Baker, 1999; Hawk et al 2003). In addition, I believe that implementing an active learning approach will enable me to effectively address challenges revolving around diversity in the classroom. Furthermore, I believe that an active approach to learning and teaching helps to motivate students to learn (Johnson, 1991; Alexander & Murphy, 2000). References Alexander, P., & Murphy, P. (2000). The research base for APA's leaner-centered psychological principles. In N. Lambert, & B. McCombs (Eds.), How students learn (pp. 25-60). Washington, D.D.: American Psychological Association. Baker, J. (1999).”Teacher –student interaction in urban at-risk classrooms: Differential behaviour, relationship quality and student satisfaction with school”. The Elementary School Journal 100(1), pp. 57-70. Baker, P. H. (2005). ‘Managing student behavior: How ready are teachers to meet the challenge’? American Secondary Education, 33, 51-64. Broderick, J.T. (2004). ‘Initiating experiences with clay and drawing as dynamic conversations’. Canadian Children, 29 (2), 7-13. Caldwell, L. (1997). Bringing Reggio Emilia Home: An innovative approach to early childhood learning. New York: Teachers College Press. Delors, J. (1996). Learning: the treasure within. Report to the UNESCO International Commission on education for the Twenty-first century. Paris: UNESCO. Evertson, C. & Weinstein, C. (2006). Handbook of Classroom Management: Research, Practice and Contemporary Issues. New York: Routledge. Hawk,K., Cowley, T., Hill, J. & Sutherland, S. (2003). The importance of the student- teacher relationship for Maori and Pasifika students. Set: Research Information for Teachers 3, 44-49. Johnson, D. (1991). ‘Student-student interaction: The neglected variable in education’. Educational Research, 10(1), 5-10. McGrath, B. & Huntington, A.(2007). 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