Sydney Allin

My experience with PS1, so far, has immensely shaped and cemented the image of who I

want to be as a teacher. Being in PS1 has made me realize that as of right now, I want the core

foundations of my teaching philosophy to be centered around: connection, fostering a safe

environment and formative assessment.

Learning is a social process, it’s not done in isolation. Vygotsky outlines how the social

interactions a student has with their teachers and peers “create [their] cognitive structures and

thinking processes” both of which greatly impact learning and development. As such, when

teachers foster relationships by working on building trust and communication, they can aid in a

child's individual development of the learning processes and cognition. Furthermore, by forming

a bond with their students, teachers will be able to better assess how to best support their

learning. Which may be done by adapting my teaching to better fit the methods that seem to

work well with individual students, or by focusing on content that I'm aware many of my

students have been struggling with.

Similarly, the creation of an environment in which students feel safe is another core

aspect of my teaching philosophy. How can we expect students to learn if they feel unsafe and/or

scared in our classroom? While there are a number of strategies that will help create a safre

environment, I find myself leaning towards organization and inclusivity. I am to promote a safe

inclusive environment by making sure that content I bring into the classroom reflects a diverse

group of people and situations. I think that as an Art teacher specifically, I need to be aware to

showcase artists that aren’t just white or european, which has been an issue in the past/current art

world. Additionally, it has been shown that chaotic environments can cause anxiety and hinder

learning for students. Which is why I plan on implementing routines into the classroom that

provide structure, but which still allow for flexibility. For example, making sure that there is a
Sydney Allin

weekly schedule posted on one of the classroom walls that gets updated once a day, at the same

time. That way students are aware of what is coming ahead and as such can be more prepared.

By having it physically posted on the wall, they will also be able to look at it any time in class in

case they have trouble remembering. Or by making sure that any classroom supplies are kept in

the same, labeled spots, I can ensure that students will know where to go if they are needed. One

method in particular that I think would foster a safe environment, is setting classroom

expectations at the beginning of the term. By setting classroom expectations with student input, a

a bond of mutual trust and understanding of what is expected from both students and teacher to

create a good learning environment can be set. It would also help me gain insight into what they

think they need in order to feel safe and successful in my classroom.

Lastly, while it certainly ties into the two previous topics discussed above, I intend to

conduct formative assessments as often as possible. Doing so will allow me to gain a better

understanding of my students’ progress, and struggles. But, it will also support my journey of

personal growth and allow me to improve and adapt my own teaching methods. In order to do so

I aim to keep Williams' assertion, that even summative assessments can be conducted

formatively, in mind. To do so, I will consistently look for the opportunity to adapt any

summative assessments given to have formative elements to them.