“Pot of Gold”
My philosophy on education:
My philosophy on education:
The primary qualities I have to offer students are maturity and life experience. I have been teaching college level fine arts courses for many semesters and have witnessed the joy and satisfaction of opening students eyes to the beauty found in the simple things of life. I hope to also offer up the same experiences at the high school level.
No two students have the same intelligence, talent or skill set. Learning abilities vary as should teaching methods. Students use five senses to learn and I intend to find ways to stimulate all five senses. By implementing lesson plans that affect each student on a different level, the door is open to learning.
Communication among all parties — caregivers, teachers, students, and administrators — will be instrumental in achieving the goal of a student becoming a viable member of society and the work force. A strong subject-matter grounding, implemented by a teacher who is personally involved in molding the student completes the package.
Our American forefathers saw the value of public education and created a system open to everyone. Granted, it took some struggle to put this notion into effect, and in some areas of the country, fairness in providing a quality education to all students is still elusive. Despite our goal of fair and free education for all, education is a privilege and we should reinforce this idea to our students. Too many of our students struggle with socioeconomic status outside of the classroom, but poverty should have no bearing on the educational opportunities inside the school. It will be a challenge for me and my fellow teachers to provide those opportunities.
The more I teach, the more I find that students are a treasure. Each learner comes to the school table with different skills, talents and attitudes, but all have the opportunity to reach the riches of education. I enjoy the diversity of students available in our schools. And given the forecast for diversity to grow, so must our embrace of the diverse cultures and backgrounds of our students.
As a beginning instructor, it is easy to be idealistic and believe that I can reach every student that I come across. Truth be told, that would be wishful thinking. That does not negate the need to seek out any technique or trick to attempt to reach every student.
I intend to meld the core subject with life lessons wherever possible. After all, the goal is not just to produce smart kids, but convey the skills that will allow adjustment to maturity. Lesson plans will involve critical thinking exercises, group participation and interaction within the community. Respecting students and their differences will allow peers to learn from each other.
I conduct class in an informal atmosphere, allowing students to feel comfortable enough to exhibit critical thinking without ridicule. Students must be given a reasonable set of expectations that provides a challenging, but achievable learning outcome.
The ultimate compliment I receive is the feeling I get when a student “gets it” or offers a simple “thank you.” For me, I equate that to finding the pot of gold or winning the lottery.
