Teaching Philosophy

Kevin Curry

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
-Nelson Mandela

Im not your typical teacher. For example, when I tell you Jesus played an integral role in
my teaching career, Im not proselytizing. Unlike most teachers, I studied finance instead of
education for my bachelors degree. Like most teachers, I entered teaching with the heroic reverie
of changing lives. And like most rookie teachers, I struggled. I might not have lasted long if it
hadnt been for a chance encounter with Jesus Pena, someone who would become one of all-time
favorite students. Chatting with Jesus in line at a local Subway, he told me, You are the best
math teacher I have ever had. I entered teaching to help students like Jesus; those who think
their inexperienced, struggling Algebra teacher is as good as it gets. I believe all students deserve
a chance to obtain the education required for the life they desire and therefore I also believe
teachers have the ultimate power, and therefore responsibility, to change the world. What makes
teaching so exhilarating though is that every student has different abilities, desires, and learning
styles so a teachers work is seldom easy and never truly done. The following paragraphs
highlight just a few of the lessons Ive learned through reflection and believe work best in
empowering tomorrows leaders.

Education begins at birth

All students bring with them to the classroom prior knowledge, interests, and abilities
which they have been collecting and honing since birth. Therefore, effective teaching begins by
evaluating each students position before determining an appropriate destination. The alternative
may lead to disinterest or frustration. What Vygotsky coined as the zone of proximal
development, I refer to as the zone of optimal development. I believe student learning best
occurs when content and rigor lie just outside of a students current level of ability. Only by
knowing the students current expertise can teachers effectively challenge them. Therefore,
quickly and frequently checking for understanding is vital to effective teaching. While teaching
high school math, I would frequently use white boards, exit tickets, and questioning techniques
to continually monitor my students learning and adjust my lessons accordingly.

Every students journey is different

For sure, teachers cultivate young minds by presenting and assessing content. However, I
believe effective teachers also play an integral role in moving student to deeper levels of thinking
and development. Perrys model of intellectual development is just one that can illustrate the
impact an effective teacher can have on a student. Though much development occurs during and
even after college, I was able to help some of my students to transition from a dualistic mindset
to multiplicity. For example, when solving right triangles I would often question students on
what the right way to solve the problem. Over time, students began to realize the many
different paths to the correct answer. Though certainly not a particularly large one, I still
consider experiences like these positive steps in the direction towards my former students
development towards a commitment mindset.

If you dont have a plan, you are planning to fail

In addition to cutting my teeth in education as a math teacher, I also served as my
districts curriculum designer. In my opinion, effective curriculum planning is the first step to
effective teaching. I am a firm advocate for the Wiggins and McTighe backward design model.
The stakes of education are too high for superfluous assessments and misaligned methods.
Rather, the planning and teaching should emphasize what the learner gains from the classroom
activities and assessments. Assessments should be rigorous, measureable, and relevant to both
the student and the teacher. Though methods can vary depending on content and level, I believe
student learning increases dramatically through experience and peer effects. In my advanced
geometry course, I designed a lesson on calculating the volume of various polyhedrons using
realia, such as a tennis ball, soup can, etc. Students worked in teams to determine the volume of
each object. My students not only enjoyed the experience but also performed exceptionally well
on their assessment. Though the assessments are important, the fact that they enjoyed the lesson
may be the biggest takeaway. Effective teachers instill within their students at least a respect, and
perhaps a passion, for their subject.

Nobodys Perfect

As I stated earlier, a teachers work is never truly done. There will always be more to do,
whether it be students to tutor, lessons to plan (or plan better), or tests to grade. To be an
effective teacher, I believe one must acknowledge its endlessness and be able to accept their own
limitations. Failing to do so, in my experience, leads to fatigue and eventually burnout. Therefore
my final belief is that an effective teacher must love what they do so much that they are able to
know when to call it a day, reflect and appreciate both their struggles and successes, and most
importantly vow to be a better version of themselves tomorrow. An effective teacher demands
the same from their students.