My Teaching Philosophy
by Sarah Jennings
1. Teacher Expectations
1.1. I am expecting my students to act responsibly and maturely, especially when tackling tough topics.
1.2. I need to be flexible and be prepared to make changes to my schedule in case of emergencies.
1.3. I need to be clear and concise with what I expect from students. There is nothing worse than a teacher who does not clarify when asked.
1.4. I am expecting my students to teach me just as much as I teach them.
1.5. I may have students that are unwilling to learn, but I have to do what I can to help them understand the material.
1.6. I hope that my students will treat any guest in the classroom with the same amount of respect that they give me; whether this be a guest speaker or a substitute teacher.
2. Curriculum
2.1. My curriculum will be challenging, but rewarding at the same time.
2.2. I want students to appreciate what they are learning and understand that everyone will have differing views.
2.3. Whatever the standards are, I want to make sure that each lesson will give students something to think about throughout the day.
2.4. I need to remember that am teaching people. I am not just there to spoon feed students the information they need to know.
2.4.1. I need to make my lessons understandable and help students see the bigger picture of what they are learning. I want them to fully understand the importance of learning history, it is so much more than just memorizing dates and facts.
3. Assessment
3.1. There will be a wide variety of assessments to ensure that different learning styles are accommodated.
3.2. Within each unit, I plan on having a performance task assessment, along with a unit test, to help the students who may not test well.
3.2.1. I understand that tests are not always the best way to test a student's understanding of the material. I need to find ways to effectively measure all students' understanding.
3.3. I will cater all of my lessons and assessments to the various learning styles that my students may have.
3.4. Some students may do better at taking tests, and others may be better at writing papers, I need to distinguish between the learning styles and allow each style to be effectively assessed.
4. Technology
4.1. I plan to use technology to keep students engaged and active in classroom discussions
4.2. I want to keep the technology used in my classroom up to date and use it as an effective tool to help students learn.
4.3. I will utilize internet sources as a way to show students that there is a multitude of information for them to explore and discover.
5. Classroom
5.1. Have classroom setup so students feel comfortable and are able to engage with others
5.2. My classroom will have personal touches to show students that I am a "real" person and do have a life outside of school
5.2.1. I want to have pictures on my desk that show a little bit of my personal life and posters with my favorite sayings around the room.
5.3. The environment should feel warm and welcoming. I don't want students to feel like they are in a jail cell every day.
5.4. The desks will be set up in a way that allows for maximum student involvement.
5.4.1. I will have the desks either set up in groups or in a circle around the classroom. I believe that students will engage more if they aren't staring at the back of a head, but instead can see the faces of their peers.