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My Teaching Philosophy My Role as an Instructor


A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. Henry Adams
What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. Karl A. Menniger
The above two statements go hand in hand and are just a few reasons as to why I strongly
believe that teaching is such an important career and profession for the world today. Not only
will I simply teach future maturing generations, but I will play a major role in instructing my
students. Also, I will be a part of my students in their lives and facilitate their understanding of
the outside world. As an educator, I am called to be both passionate and compassionate. It is
through my passion in which I will show my students the importance of learning and how an
education will benefit and help prepare them for the years to come. Although, us teachers do not
simply teach; we motivate, raise expectations, provide opportunities, protect others, and become
beacons of light by being role models. We have many skills to apply in our classrooms, but our
greatest skill is our ability to see students for who they are and assist them, pushing them a few
extra steps while opening doors and allowing them to see their dignity and worth as human
beings, making them a part of a united community.
The teachers role is to guide, providing resources and access to outside sources for
students, rather than being the primary source. Students need a guide, but ultimately they cannot
rely on one source. In order to grow and expand their knowledge, they need different
opportunities to research and discover for themselves. By providing students access to different
activities and giving them a sufficient amount of time to practice skills, they will have the
opportunity for discovery and the construction and expansion of knowledge. Self-discovery is a
crucial part of classroom instruction. By having self-discoveries and finding the answers to their
individual questions, students will be able realize their different interests. They will also be able
to further pursue the things that are more meaningful and relevant in their own individual lives.

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Furthermore, by developing instruction that concentrates in the areas of interest of the students, it
will help with providing motivation, while also building a desire to learn. This is what makes a
teacher effective. They are the ones who are able to bring about intended learning outcomes.
With this form of intent, teachers are able to help with student achievement, giving their students
a quality education. Once the students find their areas of interest, they have the ability to
generate ideas and set goals for themselves. This will allow them to take on their education with
motivation, coming to the point of mastering the skills necessary to reach their desired goals.
When it comes to understanding the learning styles of individual learners, it is important
to keep in mind the cultural diversity of the students in the classroom. This knowledge will help
me be able to design and adapt an effective instruction by establishing concrete goals. Although
there are various forms of learning styles that are represented in a large class setting, I have
designed my instruction using the research-based learning cycle. This particular cycle provides
me an outline of which effective strategies I can use, especially when it comes to the use of the4
Es, Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, and Elaboration. In the step of engagement, I as
the teacher will pose the problem and help the students make connections regarding the topic
they will research. The students will later explore the data that they were able to collect to solve
the problem that they faced. After they solve the problem, the students will be able to explain
what in particular happened and I will later give them feedback and new information that will
help them progress. By following these four steps of the learning cycle, I will help accommodate
individual preferences while engaging diverse learners, and also help establish a respect for
different individual likings and visions.
My theoretical beliefs I would say fall in line with such theorists as Vygotsky and Piaget.
I believe in these development appropriate practices, and due to this, I strive to include the work

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in my classroom that will meet and later extend the development of my students. I believe that
each of us construct our own learning through the choices we make and through our social
development, the teacher is just the facilitator. Vygotsky says that the teacher does not carry the
burden alone: Social interaction also helps students move through the zone of greater
understanding (Cooper, 125). This allows us to see that students do not always learn from the
teacher, but through their peers as well. By allowing them to problem solve and discover how to
do things on their own and by working with others, they will be able to make a significant
amount of progress in their learning. This follows Piagets views regarding individual learning.
According to Piaget, Assimilation and accommodation require an active learner, not a passive
one, because problem-solving skills cannot be taught, they must be discovered (Piaget, 1958).
Like Piaget, I believe that learners who are willing to work and put in the effort necessary, will
develop the necessary skills that will carry them to the road of discovery. In addition, Vygotskys
belief of the zone of proximal development goes along with my belief of classroom interaction.
He defines this zone of proximal development as the difference between the intellectual insights
a child has and the higher or deeper levels that the children can reach with the help of another
(Cooper, 124). I believe we must come to know and learn more about the world that surrounds
our students in order to understand participation in different activities that will require cognitive
and communicative functions. With this understanding, we will help further advance our
students knowledge. We each learn from the models presented to us by those whom we admire.
This statement is important for all teachers to follow and live in their daily interaction with
children. Therefore, I also believe that we as teachers must include culture in our classrooms,
mainly because our students learn through their cultural foundations. As a foreign language
teacher, incorporating culture would not be as difficult. By teaching a different language that

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focuses on different cultures, I will be able to apply and follow a diverse curriculum into my
classroom. These kinds of programs encourage the practice that celebrates differences. It is
through this challenge in which teachers begin to establish normalization of uniqueness and
embrace the differences of all students.
To continue, besides learning, motivation, and instruction, there is what we as educators
refer to as discipline. In order to teach students well and have effective instruction and learning
take place, there needs to be rules and procedures that will help provide a well-managed
classroom. Edmund Emmer states, It is not possible for a teacher to conduct instruction or for
students to work productively if they have no guidelines (Emmer, 26). I believe that if the
proper guidelines are established in the classroom at the beginning of the year, the students will
already know what is expected of them, making the classroom space an area completely
dedicated to learning. Furthermore, consequences are also necessary in the concentration of
discipline. I believe that students must face consequences when they violate the classroom rules,
but I also believe that it is important to have compassion towards them. One does not know why
their students are acting in such manner, but by doing a further investigation, we as teachers have
the opportunity to demonstrate compassion to our students. If they do not know that we care
about them and their future formation as human beings, it is our duty to act and to make this
known.
All of the above should be included in teacher preparation programs. I believe these
programs are difference makers and an access to change our societys classrooms. There is also
another important aspect to keep in mind as a teacher, mainly since this takes place in the
majority of our classrooms. As educators, we each have the responsibility to provide and

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promote themes of respect, equal learning opportunities, culturally responsive attitudes, and
social justice. For me, this means that all teachers must be ready for the inclusion of students
who may have different forms of learning disabilities, speak different languages, have speech
impairments, come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, etc.
These differences are relevant in our world today and with this being said, it is crucial that we
make our classrooms a safe place for all students and once again practice compassion.

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