Ivy Tech EDUC 250 My Philosophy of Teaching

My Philosophy of Teaching
Joshua McWhorter
EDUC 250
07/03/2016

Ivy Tech EDUC 250 My Philosophy of Teaching

I believe that learning, outside of biologically determined factors, is the process of constructing
knowledge through the acquisition of information and experience by way of interaction with the world
around usthrough a process of scaffolding, experimentation, and social interaction. This process of
construction can vary greatly from one individual to the next. As such, it is necessary for the educator
to develop a dynamic toolbox of skills and techniques to meet the needs of their students and to
function effectively within the environment they teach.
One key component in this toolbox of skills and techniques is the educator's ability to develop
relationships with their students. This helps them better understand who they are, how they learn, and
what forms of differentiated instruction, interaction, and motivation are necessary to maximize their
students learning potentials. This teacher/student relationship is the foundation of any classroom.
Without it, the process of exchange of information is one-way and the process of learning and
development become static and totalitarian rather than dynamic and inclusive, in nature.
In order for the teacher to get to know each of their students and foster this teacher/protege
relationship, it is imperative that the educator create an environment of trust and respect. This is done
by maintaining an open-mind, by being fair with all the students under them, flexible, honest, and stern
in their approach to grading and evaluating student performance. What an educator is willing to do for
a single student should be the same that they are willing to do for all their students. This goes not only
for how one identifies learning styles, but also how they behave within their environment; what their
methods of determining motivation are; any discipline that may be necessary; and the process of
determining what forms of specialized, differentiated instruction is needed to ensure each student's
success in the classroomthis process should be done with consideration to the child's cultural
heritage, their gender, and the student's possible exceptionalities, but without discrimination along any
of these linesall students, although varied in many ways, have an equal right to an education under

Ivy Tech EDUC 250 My Philosophy of Teaching

my guidance.
I see education as an incremental process of acquisition that occurs both in short spurts and over
a long period of time. Because of this, it becomes extremely important that the educator carefully plan
and implement a curriculum that is formatted with the current and long term goals of the student in
mind. This includes using knowledge of the age of the students in question, any possible sex-based
differences that may impact learning, and with knowledge of the individual depth and speed each
student in their class is progressing atadjusting and refining this process continuously throughout the
duration of the courseincluding how former, current, and future learning inter-relate and support each
other over time. Ideally, this process of learning will be structured in a manner that best facilitates the
transition from one topic to another and from one subject to another in a way that ensures the student is
capable of cross-hatching concepts and materialsto think critically and act constructively using
multidisciplinary approaches to learning and problem solving.
For this to work, the teacher must be aware of their environment and sensitive to the emotional
states and temperament of students and co-workers at all times. This helps to ensure a safe, secure, and
distraction free place for learning to occur. This also helps the teacher identify when the material may
need to be altered in some way to meet class-wide, or individual needs, and to better respond when
attention wanders and to address issues with motivation, quality of work, and behavior, in timely
fashion. Awareness of potential situations (dangerous or otherwise) and the ability of the teacher to
identify, put together, and execute a proper, measured response when necessary is a sign of a welldisciplined, well-trained, and experienced educator. Learning the rules, requirements, expectations, and
unwritten rules within your environment is therefore imperative for success, and for the safety and
well-being of yourself and your students.
Students should be free to express themselves without the expectation of being treated unfairly
or unnecessarily harsh (within the boundaries and expectation that have have been clearly defined

Ivy Tech EDUC 250 My Philosophy of Teaching

concerning behavior and conduct within that environment). No student should be permitted to harm,
either physically or emotionally, another student, and any such abuses should be reported accordingly.
This ensures the sanctity of the classroom, fostering not only a sense of respect for one another, but an
expectation of tolerance and self-control. For this to succeed the teacher should be trained in and
experienced in using mediation practices and conflict resolution techniques, quickly responding when it
becomes necessary to intervene for whatever reason.
Teachers should also be aware of the legal obligations and expectations in the classroom and
what the current laws are concerning the use of, the ownership of, and the retention of both physical
goods and digital content. The teacher should never knowingly engage in or permit the use of illegal
content, software, or goods when engaged in the process of teaching. It is the responsibility of the
teacher to ensure that the materials they have chosen for their students meets the legal and ethical
standards outlined by the organization that hired them and the country/municipality in which they
reside.
Beyond these factors, I feel that a good teacher is both born and made. The desire to teach
drives a person to teaching; talent can take them so far; but practice and experience make them good at
what they do. I think the best approach to discipline is one that comes from a desire to do best by our
students, ensuring that the approach taken is one that will be best for them and all students in the class.
It is also good to remember that discipline is not the same as punishment. Punishment is a negative
consequence for an action seen as deviant. Discipline is a set of tools that is designed to modify the
behavior of the student to get the response you want. In my opinion, the best approach to discipline is
to be proactive. A teacher should try to identify the cause of any issues as early as possible and begin
working on identifying methods of resolving those issues as soon as possible. This includes
establishing clearly defined and easily understood guidelines and expectation for the classroom, early
onthat way students can play an active role in their own classroom experience.

Ivy Tech EDUC 250 My Philosophy of Teaching

As a final appendage to this philosophy of teaching, I would like to include an I statement for
my own reference and motivation down the road. Something that I can think back on and hold up as a
personal statement of who I am, where I want to go, and what I expect of myself:
I, Josh, have an obligation to the students in my care. It is an act of honor that I serve and
protect not only my students, but the community who charges me with the guidance and safety
of their children. It is my duty that I offer this guidance, in the process of learning, within an
environment free of harm and unnecessary distraction, and I will do this to the best of my
ability. I must guide them as true as I can. I must strive to understand and get to know my
students in an effort to better serve their needs. It is my obligation to learn about and apply all of
the methods at my disposal to ensure that those who rely on me as their mentor have the best
opportunities available to them to attain knowledge and information. I am to act in a manner
that I see as outstanding and to uphold those qualities outside of myself, and within, that I know
to be good and honorable. It is through this that I will be tolerant of those around me, patient
with those in need of patience, and fair. I will strive for temperance against the unexpected, and
pray for the clarity of mind, the calm-fortitude, and the wisdom necessary to offer the guidance
and protection that my students deserve of me. I will keep an open-mind and expect the same of
my students. And finally, I promise to practice humility as best I can, and to teach the virtues of
humbleness and respect for ourselves, for the world that we inhabit, and for our fellow people.