Tracy Ann Kaster

17 Evergreen Lake Drive

Mountain Top, PA 18707
tracy.kaster@wilkes.edu
As a professor who teaches many courses ranging from freshman to upper classmen
courses, I find that in the introductory class ED 190 Effective Teaching, I am constantly
reminding my students that as a teacher you will find that your philosophy of education defines
who you are as a teacher and will and should change over time as one gains more experience in
the classroom. Having recently come from teaching in public schools for over 18 years to
teaching in college, I have found this to be very true. Overall I find my teaching philosophy to be
the same in some respects while other elements have changed.
My central philosophy has always been to instill in each student; whether in elementary
school or college, the motivation to learn and always do the best of their ability. I have always
believed that it is my purpose as a teacher to provide each student the incentive to learn by
creating a family atmosphere where everyone is a team player; free to discuss topics without
criticism. I keep this perspective in mind as I teach my courses, since my students need to learn
how to become effective teachers to students who have a variety of needs and abilities in a time
period where educators are faced with increasing demands to perform at a certain level as well as
a decreasing respect of the teaching profession as a whole. So as an instructor, I see many of my
students arrive as freshman with a very basic understanding of educational theory and practice to
watching them graduate having acquired and gained skills which help them to develop their own
personal teaching philosophy. I find that sharing anecdotes from my years in the classroom
along with those classrooms I visit today provide vignettes to capture the students interest
and to share my passion for teaching children.

I became a teacher because I wanted to have a positive impact on students lives, and I
became a professor because I wanted to have a role in helping pre-service candidates become
effective teachers. In order to impact future teacher roles effectively I follow three basic beliefs.
First I believe all students have different learning styles which require empowering them with
various instructional strategies, methods and techniques to better support their students. Secondly
I believe that the information I teach should be relevant and meaningful to students everyday
lives. Lastly I believe that students learn and appreciate knowledge when it is presented in an
appropriate manner where everyone feels safe to express themselves in a safe and welcoming
environment. The courses I teach mirror my basic belief system. I offer an array of classroom
activities that meet the individual needs of my students through differentiated instruction. The
activities are designed to meet all learning styles so the content is relevant and meaningful to the
students everyday lives; making it applicable when they are educators themselves. I assess
students with a variety of traditional and non-traditional assessment techniques, by not only
assessing knowledge through exams, but also through authentic assessments varying from
presentations to projects. In addition, I also encourage active participation which allows students

to feel safe and comfortable to share personal opinions, ideas, and beliefs. I strive to be a role
model and lead by example. I attempt to adhere to the idea that actions speak louder than words.
I attempt to foster an environment that enables students to develop much needed skills such as
decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, and critical-thinking skills, which are prevalent in
the classroom.

By encouraging students to work hard and perform to the best of their ability, students
are better prepared to take on the job of a teacher. From my experience at Wilkes University, I
have found students want to learn, and through the positive interactions with faculty helps to
provide a higher quality of learning. I teach my classes with a passion and I heart for teaching.
I believe that by having a sincere and genuine interest, love and appreciation for teaching
encourages students to participate in their own learning to become active life-long learners
and reflective educators. Recently I was watching Kathie Lee speak about her husband, Frank
Giffords death. She shared a visit about their visit to the Holy Land, where they stopped at
the site where the Bible says David killed Goliath. There he acquired a stone which became a
treasured possession. Kathie Lee then stated, Frank would want you to do this today: If you
see a stone today, pick it up and ask yourself, 'What is my stone? What is my gift that I can
use to make this world a better place?'. This belief illustrates why I want to prepare preservice students to be the best teacher they can be and I help them find their stone and then
find a way to throw it well and make a real difference in the world.