My Teaching Philosophy Statement

Kalen Krantz

In my two decades of education, I have sat on both sides of the classroom: I have taught

and I have learned. In doing this, I have been exposed to a plethora of teaching strategies. One

common denominator in the education equation is stress. Stress is to be treated like a fine blend

on your food of choice: not too much and definitely not too little. By approaching these tough

topics, like stress, with a pedagogical standpoint educators are able to better assist their students.

If we can gauge how much stress we put on students, through carefully planned assessments,

students will not become disengaged with the amount of work required in any course. This is not

to say that stress is bad, instead, stress can be seen as a fine balancing act. If there is no stress

students will not feel inclined to try their best or put forth an effort, but unfortunately the same

goes for having too much stress as well. In my education, I tended to notice that some professors

can offput students who otherwise would have had no problem with a task through simply not

alleviating the stress through reassurance and communication. I want my class to be the deep

breath in their long and busy day, and one way to accomplish this is through being aware of how

your students are doing. By managing stress with a pedagogical viewpoint, students can become

more in tune with what works for them, and educators don’t have to worry about student

motivation.

Communication, a cornerstone piece to the foundation that is education, must be kept at

all times between educator and student. If a student does not feel comfortable emailing their

professor, even when they are truly sick, this does not represent a healthy classroom. Being

approachable, and prioritizing communication, is one way that students can feel more

comfortable in your room. By reinforcing communication efforts between myself and my

students, I am to create an environment where students can approach the educator, and not be

afraid of conversation. Not only does this open the possibility towards developing repertoire with

your students, but this also develops a culture in your classroom that will storm any weather. If

students do not feel comfortable discussing assignments or even their day with their educator,

how can the learning begin? If education is a constant conversation between the educator and the

student, it makes no sense to limit what one party might say. Through setting expectations and

elaborating on how communication can benefit both parties, educators can rest assured their

students will not disengage.

My last philosophical standpoint in my young-educating career is a simple one; it can

change how students perceive what you say and create a more pedagogical approach to

discussion. When teachers told me something positive, I felt like the world was mine. Educators

have the power to paint vivid color into their students who otherwise may seem themselves as

gray. If educators are not positively reinforcing student engagement, learning will not begin.

Whether it is asking students about their local sports game, or complimenting the shoes of a

student, there are a myriad of ways we can go about putting a smile on our students’ faces. With

the increasing number of mental health diagnoses in our country, let alone the world, students

now more than ever need school to be a place of warmth and comfort. The relationships I have

built with my teachers have lasted years, and at times their encouragement was the only thing

that made education possible. If I am not doing the same for my students, I am doing them a

disservice in terms of their pedagogical growth.