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Your name: Margarita Martnez

Group: 10:10 11:30
Instructors name: Glenda Leung
COMEXUS Culture & Language
Assignment description
My Teaching Philosophy
I remember perfectly when I started my practice as teacher, I was nervous and I
wanted to be as my Englishs teachers were to me; they were strict and they applied
grammar translation method. I knew nothing about techniques, strategies or methods in
ESL however I prepared every class very carefully and knowing the English language
rules helped me a lot to avoid teaching with mistakes or spreading untrue information to
students. Furthermore, I used some of the techniques and methods my former language
teachers practiced to me! Through my own learning experience I decided I should apply
similar methods because they worked for me and they should work to everyone, big
mistake of course.
My practice was alright and my adapted techniques were not boring, this
according to some ex-students comments; they say they have never had so good
teacher to teach they emphasized, on the other hand, talking about rules in the class I
was so severe and dare to say I was authoritarian, inflexible even harsh which step by
step it was creating a big block in the middle of my students learning and my person.
Hence, I started taking some courses and seminars where they talked and explained
teaching amongst teenagers-young adults; that was my awakening as a person I
urgently needed a change in both my personality and character so I could break the big
wall I had built between my practice and my students learning process.
Nowadays, my teaching philosophy is totally humanitarian I always see the human
before the student; I feel that if I get the motivation on them I get their understanding,
and achieve their English learning or at least their interest in the English language, after
all we are made of feelings and desires. That is why I keep learning, taking classes,
courses, seminars, or conferences every time I can, is the only way to be evolving and
improving constantly. In this manner I can teach a language combined to values, beliefs,
principles; moreover I can go further their minds then their hearts.

Over the years I have had the wonderful opportunity of teaching many students. I
am passionate about creating a safe and nurturing environment where all learners feel
respected, cared for, loved, and eager to learn. A positive self-esteem is what I want my
students to walk out of my classroom with. Moreover, I feel prepared enough to develop
in my students critical thinking as well as a cross cultural education not only in English
language but in their formation as a person without prejudices and with knowledge in
many areas as possible. Coming to Project SUMMIT in Manhattan has been an
excellent choice to improve my teaching practice, these six weeks have been a terrific
chance to enhance my knowledge, as the ASR is very close to what Mexican Reforma
in Education is looking for it will not be impossible to adapt the Spiral Readiness in our
teaching context.
The ASR deepest step is the critical reflection since is here where teachers go
inside their assumptions and beliefs, they break these down to modify teaching methods
and to apply new ones or adapt another ones. ASR critical reflection engage teachers
into a profound analysis to be performed continuously in order to be better everyday
and to achieve a successful teaching learning process.