Educational Philosophy - Coursework Example

Educational Philosophy “Don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care”. - Theodore Roosevelt Teaching is a challenging, yet a very rewarding profession. In many ways, teachers are the ones who would spend the significant amount of time with the students, sharing with them life’s values and preparing them for what is ahead. Educator is not merely the one who teaches his students academically but also helps them develop their talents and character. I want to be that kind of significant person in the lives of children – my students. I did some teaching in the past and it brought me joy helping a child to learn to do what he could not previously. I had to try different ways to explain him the subject, and the result was splendid! I like trying new ideas in the search for the solution. I also realize teacher’s path is not always filled with thrill and blissful joy. Therefore, having educational philosophy will help me to have a clear vision of why I chose to be a teacher and motivate me to keep on going. Paraprofessional teachers play the difficult but very important role in lives of many people – children with special needs, parents of those children, the society at large. It is more than teaching, it is "basic care, working with the student in the general education setting, and taking data", sometimes, carrying our health-related tasks like "changing the student's diapers, feeding… take medication at the right time of day or get on the correct bus when school is out.” (Walker, 2011) Though job descriptions vary greatly by school district, city, region and state, a para-educators job is to assist one or more teachers. A para-pro works in a variety of settings, including one-on-one, in small groups, and, less often, in large groups (Hall, 2011) And the teacher has so much joy and reward in knowing how much he/she overcame together with his/her student to reach these results. Each paraeducator has to know that he/she is there foremost because of the love and care for the children he/she is eager to help. Daily challenges can easily defeat inspiration, and educational philosophy will motivate teacher throughout the para educational career. Successful management of learning consists of giving attention to the variety of approach, to how effective they are with real students. Increased importance of verbal and non-verbal communication, behavioral system, and education based on real values are the approaches to classroom management. I believe it is important and needed to observe students’ response to different approaches, to the correction and disciplinary methods and adjusting it accordingly by positive and negative reinforcement and developing good communication. Communication, increased examination and awareness techniques are very important. Communicative methods use physical and verbal signals. For example, instead of wasting teaching time for vocal warning of the student with bad behavior, I can look or come close to the student. It generates an ordinary, visual signal to the student that he is acting poorly – which is another way of making students feel accountable for their behavior. Sensing potential conflict I will use appropriate methods to calm the worried student and to help him change his tone of voice Another very important element in a classroom management is the classroom arrangement: accessibility of the teaching/learning aids, are they easy to observe, accurately set and available for teachers and students. I will sit my students close enough to be able to work together when the task requires collaboration, and far enough in order not to disturb each other or copy work from one another. I believe all students have to be able to see the board and hear the teacher well enough regardless of their disabilities. There are a big variety of factors that can have an effect on students’ ability to learn. All students are different. Some of them enjoy the learning process and scholastic achievements more than other students. Some are less self-confident and sociable than others. Some are more active, others might be brighter. Some students are mathematically gifted people; others cannot count so fast and accurately but have extraordinary linguistic abilities. Children from the unstable family situation or underprivileged background have difficulties studying more than other kids because it is likely they do not have important people in their life to explain them an importance of learning and to persuade them to persist despite the difficulties. These are all the components of how they will relate to school and how easy or difficult they will be going through the studying process and what they will achieve. It is very difficult to be aware of every student’s needs and even more difficult to attend to it when there are so many of them and so few hours to teach in. In order to build a positive classroom culture, I will be consistent in my requirements; I will memorize from the very beginning names of all my students; I will start every lesson with short "grounding" to the previous material. Wise teacher gives his students a choice whenever it is possible and believes in his/her students. I will do so too. I will also reflect if there is a better way for teaching; I will encourage students to communicate with me as well as with their classmates; I will be often asking my students for input, and also will clearly wrap up every lesson. I believe, if I do all these, I will be creating in my students the desire to come to the next class! Our role as a teacher is to monitor students while they’re doing the activity and make notes for feedback later. (Jones, 2008, p.37) Scholastic accomplishments of a student are directly related to parents' participation in the learning process, to how readily and regularly they are getting involved in educational activities. Students, whose parents were setting high standards for their kids’ education, achieved higher results than parents who did not set such high goals. Even though many parents do not have a clue about how to assist their children in their schooling, they do read to their kids, have books on hand, take field trips, and control TV viewing – all this is contributing to learning success. Parental involvement in the form of interest in the child and manifest in the home as parent-child discussions can have a significant positive effect on children’s behavior and achievement even when the influence of background factors such as social class or family size have been factored out. (Desforges, 2003, p.28) Statistically speaking, 86% of the general public believes that parental support is the most important way to improve scholastic achievements. I believe encouraging parents to get involved with their children will greatly help my students both academically and emotionally. Parental involvement, especially in the form of parental values and aspiration modeled in the home, is a major force shaping pupil’s achievement and adjustment. (Desforges, 2003, p.40) In a student-centered classroom, instead of passively taking notes, students take the active part in studying process. In my class, during the lesson, I will create opportunities for students to actively participate, which will help them to build their knowledge of the material. I, the teacher, will just be supplying the students with learning materials and a range of practical activities and giving them a chance to take this knowledge in action without deliverance of large quantity of theory. Students can’t be “taught” – they can only be helped to learn. In a student-centered classroom, our role is to help and encourage students to develop their skills, but without relinquishing our more traditional role as a source of information, advice, and knowledge. In a student-centered classroom, the teacher and the students are a team working together. Together our role is to make sure everyone benefits from the lesson, supporting one another. (Jones, 2008, p.25) I believe that teachers have to get into the classroom expecting the highest from every student. Therefore, the teacher has to make the most of the optimistic benefits that naturally come along with devotion, determination, and hard work, and the student's achievements will follow. As Thomas Edison said, “Genius is one percent of inspiration and ninety-nine percents of perspiration." I believe that no child was born non-talented. Any hard-working student with so-called "mediocre talent", if he/she determines not giving up on the way to the triumph, is able to achieve success sooner or later. I want to help my students open up and reach the fullness of their potential, through creating an inspiring work environment where they will be at the very center of the learning process. References Desforges, Charles and Abouchaar, Alberto. The impact of parental involvement, parental support and family education on pupil achievements and adjustment: a literature review. Queens’s printer, 2003 Jones, Leo, 2008. The student centered classroom. Cambridge University Press Classroom Management - Creating a Learning Environment, Setting Expectations, Motivational Climate, Maintaining a Learning Environment, When Problems Occur. Retrieved from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1834/Classroom-Management.html Walker, Deborah, edited by R. Halprin What does a special education paraprofessional do? (10 January 2011) Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-special-education-paraprofessional-do.htm Hall, Mandi R., edited by Everett W. What Does a Paraprofessional Do? (11 January 2011) Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-paraprofessional-do.htm Sandholtz, Judith, Ringstaff Cathy, Dwyer David Review: Teaching with Technology: Creating Student-Centered Classrooms. The Educational Technology Journal, Vol 11. No9 2002 June, Retrieved from http://fno.org/jun02/teachingreview.html Read More