Teaching Philosophy

Teaching, for me, has a simple philosophy. It contains three main components that work together to produce what I believe is the desired effect for teachers; students who are skilled, confident and ready to succeed in the world.

The first component of this philosophy is that teachers need to help students learn how to learn. Understanding that not every student learns in the same way or at the same pace, teachers should be able to work with students as individuals, incorporating various teaching techniques (verbal, visual, auditory, hands-on) so that each student has the opportunity to grasp the information, regardless of their learning style. Although a set curriculum is in place, teachers should be flexible in how that curriculum is taught, using innovative and interactive methods and always searching for new ways to reach the students with the information they are trying to convey. The skill of acquiring and retaining knowledge (learning how to learn) will carry over into all aspects of a student’s life and into adulthood.

Second, teachers should be able to get students excited about what they are learning. The first, and most effective, way to accomplish this is for teachers to possess a true excitement themselves for what they are teaching. This excitement and passion will be contagious in the classroom, prompting students to sit up, pay attention and absorb all that is being taught. Another way for teachers to get students excited about what they are learning is to make it personal for them. Relate the subject matter to real life and help them find a way to relate it to their own life. In this way, students will not only feel a passion for the subject matter, but also a true connection with it.

The last, and I feel most important, component of my philosophy is that teachers need to do everything in their power to instill a true love of learning in their students. Children are born with an innate desire to gather information. It is a teacher’s responsibility to foster that desire and help students learn how to process the information and make it meaningful. By continuing to succeed in their efforts to learn, students will gain a feeling of satisfaction from achieving goals for themselves, and will become confident in their ability to accomplish anything. Possessing a true love of learning means students will crave information and be motivated to learn throughout their lives.

Students want to learn, they can learn, and with these three components in place, students will learn. And they will be well on their way to becoming confident, successful and truly valuable members of future society. For me this is what teaching is all about.

Bonna Ramsey