My Teaching Philosophy Statement

I believe that education is a continuous process that begins unconsciously in the womb.
That education encompasses the shaping/enhancing the totality of the individual.

I am a believer of the Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect of Rosenthal Jacobson that

higher expectations lead to an increase in performance; or the opposite which is the
Golem Effect, , in which low expectations lead to a decrease in performance. Both of these
are forms of self-fulfilling prophecy and that as a teacher I believe that I should not pre-
judged the ability of the students, for my preconceptions can be translated into actions
and students may read and understand this and it can either challenge them to do better
or discourage them and they withdraw.
I believe with the multi-intelligence Theory of Howard Gardner that students possess
different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in
different ways. This leads me as a teacher to use differentiated instruction and varying
strategies so as to give equal chances of learning among learners.

I believe in the power of motivation, and that each child is unique and needs a secure and
stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, physically and socially.

I believe that learning is effective if things learned benefit the learner or are applicable to
his /her world. That means contextualization of my teaching approaches.

I am also a believer of the premise of the 21st century teaching that is of the K to 12 that
is; “teaching students how to learn and not what to learn”. I believe and support the
findings of educational researchers that;

I believe that there are a lot of factors affecting learning, and among those factors is the
environment and that includes me as a teacher who can make or break not only the day of
the students but as well as the future.

“Teaching students how to learn is as important as teaching them content.”

This connotes the shifting of my traditional role as the sole provider and source of
information into a facilitator and a guide of the learning process and also a learner along
the way.
I believe that students should be guided to access information and discover knowledge. I
also believe that hands-on activities and use of appropriate materials reinforces learning.

It is also my belief that teaching provides an opportunity for continual learning and
growth. And it is one of my hopes to instill a love of learning in my students, by sharing my
passion for learning with them. It is my goal as a teacher to see my students develop their
potential to the fullest or just be a part of leading them to that journey for development,
rather than slowing them or hampering them from discovering their best.
Matslduco 2-28-2018