Ava De Jonge

12.4.20
WELD 405
Teaching Philosophy

I believe that each individual has a unique wealth of knowledge that is ready to be shared
with others; no knowledge is lesser than the other. I strive to learn from each student that will
come through my door and, in return, share my knowledge with them. I exist to be an advocate
for all, a voice to back up the voiceless because, at one point, I was voiceless.
As an educator, I aspire to transmit my knowledge regarding the Spanish language and
cultures of those who speak in an inclusive yet diverse manner. Through the transmission of
knowledge, I will create opportunities via discourse communities to develop critical thinking
skills while encouraging life-long learning. I hope to serve as a mentor for my students, guiding
them in developing their sense of self and aspirations, and maybe even their careers as Spanish
teachers!
For my students, I have high expectations in regards to their success and development.
Through the course of their world language experience, I hope that the students will be able to
think beyond the world they know and are familiar with, allowing them to see through the lens of
the diversity we must worship within our world. I want my students to respect those around them
and themselves as they will encounter new ideas and practices via the study of the Spanish
language and the associating cultures.
To reach the goals and objectives set for each group of learners, I consider a vast number
of pedagogical approaches to suit each learning type's needs, the learners' developmental stages,
and the content necessary to provide students with success. Through active discourse
communities, the collaboration of ideas and the development of oral communication will allow
for the advancement of proficiency and create identity development opportunities. The use of
inquiry-based instruction, such as PACE and IMAGE, will allow for exploring and
understanding cultural aspects and grammar forms. By using the PACE approach, students will
participate in a teacher-guided investigation of grammar forms through discourse communities
by using authentic texts to grasp the grammar form at hand. To address the intertwining nature of
cultural products, practices, and perspectives, I will use IMAGE to create guided conversations
to make cultural observations, hypothesize about cultural meaning, and compare and contrast
cultural perspectives different from their own.
To effectively assess my students' understanding of the content, I will rely on standard-
based grading. By doing so, students will be able to demonstrate their proficiency without severe
grading consequences. Through clear expectations of the task, I will provide concise feedback
that will allow learners to gauge their growth throughout the course. The grading that occurs
within the class should reflect growth and development throughout the course rather than a
snapshot in time. When discussing assessments, I believe that various approaches should be
offered when gauging interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes due to the vast
multiple intelligences and identities that each learner holds. However, Integrative Performance
Assessments will be used as summative assessments to gauge the knowledge and development
that each student has obtained throughout the semester. Formative assessments such as
homework and in-class discussion will be used as a time for penalty-free mistakes and reflection
of the content at hand.
To provide my students with the best opportunities to develop as both language users and
as individuals, I must reflect upon student evaluations and participate in professional
development opportunities. By analyzing student evaluation forms, I will understand my
students' ever-changing needs and what pedagogical strategies provided successfully
contextualized learning for each individual. Professional development opportunities such as
attending conferences, both local and national, will allow for collaboration to advance the
practices applied within each class to understand the intertwining nature of language and culture
while developing 21st-century skills.