Jessica Norment

Teaching Philosophy

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk once said, “a good teacher is like a candle- it consumes itself to
light the way for others.” This metaphor stands out to me specifically because teachers hold a
very important responsibility in order to be considered a good teacher. That responsibility is
shaping the lives of young children. Teachers should strive to bring knowledge to children and
to help children find their purpose in the world. A good teacher should encourage children to do
the right thing and point them in the right direction in their lives. A good teacher is like a candle
because they can put their all into making an impact on their students’ lives so that the children
can be the best they can be.
The most important purposes of teaching are helping the students learn a variety of
subjects, helping the students learn to take responsibility and become independent, and helping
the students find their purpose in the world and to find their individual voice. Being a good
teacher involves discovering the most effective ways to teach and discovering what we believe
in as teachers. There are many different educational beliefs, theories, and methods that
teachers believe in. The learning theories that I believe in and that marks my successful
teaching are behaviorism and social cognitive learning theories. According to Koch’s
educational book, “behaviorism is the theory that learning takes place in response to
reinforcements (for instance, rewards or punishments) from the outside environment” (TEACH).
Behaviorism is teacher-centered because “teachers are in absolute control through the stimuli
they present in the classroom. Students respond to external stimuli and learn the correct
responses through reward and punishments, eventually internalizing rewards and punishments”
(TEACH). When I am teaching, I believe that the best way to motivate the students and to keep
them wanting to learn more is to give them positive and negative reinforcements. My students
will receive appropriate rewards if they are on their best behavior. In school, I believe that
students need structure, so they know what is expected behavior wise. I want to develop a good
relationship with my students so that they stay on their best behavior, but still enjoy my class.
Koch’s book states that social cognitive learning theories are “explanations that describe how
learning involves interactions between the learner and the social environment” (TEACH). This
theory states that the classroom is somewhat learner centered. In this type of classroom, they
learn through experiences shared with others. The learning is as much social as it is individual. I
also believe in progressivism. Progressivism is “an educational philosophy that stresses active
learning through problem solving, projects, and hands-on experiences” (TEACH). I believe that
children learn best when they can be creative and explore the world around them. A teacher
that believes in progressivism can vary the curriculum so that it matches the needs and interests
of students. Students should not be limited to what teachers want to or must teach. They should
be able to explore what interests them outside of the educational “norm.”
The outcomes I want for my students are for them to be independent and develop a
voice of their own. I also want my students to understand what they are learning so that they are
well prepared for their future. I want my students to strive to be the best they can be and to find
their purpose in the world. I will help guide my students to figuring out who they are as a person
and I will stand by and support them. I will let my students do interactive activities such as
projects and problem solving so that they develop better social skills. For me to obtain these
outcomes for my students, I need to develop and maintain positive relationships with students.
According to an article, in order to develop and maintain positive relationships with students,
you need to “provide structure, teach with enthusiasm and passion, have a positive attitude,
incorporate humor into lessons, make learning fun, use students interests to your advantage,
incorporate storytelling into lessons, and show an interest in their lives outside of school” (10
Ways for Teachers to Build Positive Relationships with Students). I want to develop and
maintain positive relationships with students because I want them to try to do their best in my
class and I want them to trust me, so if they are having any issues, they will come to me first
because they know I will help them out. I want my students to succeed and the only way I can
help guide them to success is if we have a good relationship. I also want to make a difference in
the lives of my students. I can make a difference in the lives of my students by creating a good
and positive relationship with them, getting the students to be the best they can be, encouraging
them to be independent and have their own voice, helping them learn how to problem solve,
helping them develop better social skills, and preparing them for the future. If I succeed in
getting them to achieve all those things, I will know I did my job right because they will be
successful. They will be successful because they have learned and understood everything I
taught. For someone to truly learn something, it means that they understand it, they can explain
it to someone else so that the other person can understand it, and then they can correctly apply
their knowledge. According to an article, “when it comes to learning new things, according to a
study recently published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, studying to the point of mastery
still isn’t enough to make things stick. A more effective strategy, the study authors wrote, is
something called “overlearning,” which is exactly what it sounds like: studying until you fully
grasp the concept at hand, and then studying some more” (To Truly Learn Something, Study
Until You’ve Mastered It? And Then Keep Going). In order to truly learn something, you need to
study it until you can teach it to someone else and then apply it, and then you need to keep
doing that, so you do not forget it.
There are a couple educational guidelines that guide me as an educator. One
educational guideline that guides me as an educator is to encourage contact between students
and faculty. According to an article, “building rapport with students is very important. The
contact between students and teachers are vital to the students’ success. One of the main
reasons students leave school is the feeling of isolation that they experience. The concern
shown will help students get through difficult times and keep working” (Seven Principles of Good
Teaching). Encouraging contact between students and faculty is important because it helps
students feel safe and comfortable and they learn to trust you more. Another educational
guideline that guides me as an educator is to develop reciprocity and cooperation among
students. According to the same article, “when students are encouraged to work as a team,
more learning takes place. Characteristics of good learning are collaborative and social, not
competitive and isolated. Working together improves thinking and understanding” (Seven
Principles for Good Teaching). It is important for students to cooperate because they develop
more social skills and learn more things about themselves, others, and the topic. I will
encourage my students to work together. Another educational guideline is to encourage active
learning. According to an article, “learning is an active process. Students are not able to learn
much by only sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments,
and churning out answers. They must be able to talk about what they are learning, write about
it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. Students need to make learning a
part of themselves” (Seven Principles for Good Teaching). I will encourage active learning
because it will help my students stay engaged and it will help my students understand what I am
teaching them more. Another educational guideline is to give prompt feedback. According to the
same article, “in order for students to benefit from courses, they need appropriate feedback on
their performance. When starting out, students need help in evaluating their current knowledge
and capabilities. Within the classroom, students need frequent opportunities to perform and
receive suggestions for improvement. Throughout their time in college and especially at the end
of their college career, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they
still need to know, and how to assess themselves” (Seven Principles for Good Teaching). I will
give prompt feedback because it is important for students to understand their mistakes so that
they can change it later. Giving feedback helps improve students learning and understanding of
what they learned. The last educational guideline that guides me as an educator is to respect
diverse talents and ways of learning. According to the article, “there are many different ways to
learn and no two people learn the same way. Students bring different talents and learning styles
to the classroom. Students that excel in the seminar room may be all thumbs in the lab or art
studio and vice versa. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that
work for them. Then, they can be guided into new ways of learning that are not as easy for
them” (Seven Principles for Good Teaching). I will respect diverse talents and different ways of
learning because it will help students understand the subjects more if I teach in a way that helps
everyone understand it. I will change up my way of teaching so that it satisfies everyone’s
needs. If students are struggling, I will take my time to help them and make sure they
understand it before I move on.
Based on these purposes, guiding principles, and understanding of learning, there are
certain strategies for teaching that I think are the most appropriate and important. The first
strategy is cooperative learning. According to an article, cooperative learning is where you
“encourage students of mixed abilities to work together by prompting small group or whole class
activities. Through verbally expressing their ideas and responding to others your students will
develop their self-confidence, as well as enhance their communication and critical thinking skills
which are vital throughout life” (7 Effective Teaching Strategies for The Classroom). The second
strategy is differentiation. According to an article, “assigning classroom activities according to
students’ unique learning needs means individuals with higher academic capabilities are
stretched and those who are struggling to get the appropriate support. This can involve handing
out worksheets that vary in complexity to different groups of students or setting up a range of
work stations around the classroom which contain an assortment of tasks for students to choose
from” (7 Effective Teaching Strategies for The Classroom). The last strategy is inquiry-based
instruction. According to an article, inquiry-based instruction is where you “pose thought-
provoking questions which inspire your students to think for themselves and become more
independent learners. Encouraging students to ask questions and investigate their own ideas
helps improve their problem-solving skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of academic
concepts. Both of which are important life skills” (7 Effective Teaching Strategies for The
Classroom). These strategies are important because they meet students’ different needs which
will help them all understand the subjects more.
 My goal as an educator is to help students expand their knowledge, be confident in
learning, and to find their purpose in the world. The best thing that could happen to me as an
educator would be seeing students enjoy learning and seeing students become more engaged
in the classroom. I hope to be a positive role model to my students, and I hope to make an
impact on their lives. I want to provide a safe and welcoming environment for my students so
that they can feel comfortable with being active in the class. This is achieved by providing
structure and guidelines so that all they have to focus on is learning and being the best that they
can be. My job as an educator is to provide a classroom where all students can learn and
master a subject because of my different ways of teaching. I will know that I am doing my job
right if my students succeed and become a better person every day. I will put my all into
expanding my students’ minds and knowledge and guiding them in the right direction in their
lives.

Works Cited

7 Effective Teaching Strategies For The Classroom- Quizalize Blog. (2019, February 28).
Retrieved from https://www.quizalize.com/blog/2018/02/23/teaching-strategies/

Koch, J. (2016). TEACH.

Meador, D. (2013, August 11). 10 Ways for Teachers to Build Positive Relationships With
Students. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/develop-positive-relationships-with
-students-3194339
Romm, C. (n.d.). To Truly Learn Something, Study Until You’ve Mastered It? And Then Keep
Going. Retrieved from https://www.thecut.com/2017/01/to-truly-learn-something-study-
way-more-than-you-need-to.html

Seven Principles for Good Teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.utc.edu/walker-center-

teaching-learning/teaching-resources/7-principles.php#principle-1