Running Head: PERSONAL TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Personal Teaching Philosophy

Charis Sileo
Regent University
UED 495-496: Field Experience/Student Teaching ePortfolio
Dr. Gould
November 7, 2016

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Statement of Philosophy of Education: Character Development

The nature of children the human nature is something of an intricacy. While it is
casually effortless to assume a child to be consumed with self-centered thoughts and motives, it
is likewise easy to overlook innate proclivities for sympathy, emotional consideration, and
feelings of sorrow for people in distress. While a childs capacity to be self-centered is very well
a factor in the classroom, my belief is that in order to effectuate healthy character maturation, a
teacher must look beyond the surface and build stimulus behind a students potential to
demonstrate genuine outward expression of others-centeredness. The educator who takes to
heart all these lessons about human nature doesn't assume that he can stand off to the side while
children automatically grow into responsible adults. Rather, he models and explains and shows
them he cares. He works with them so they will become better problem solvers and helps them
see how their actions affect others (Kohn, 2006). Character development is one of the most
important components to creating a school atmosphere of safety, constructive learning, and longterm student growth.
A childs outward behavior stems from inward character. I believe students are naturally
eager to make good choices for the benefit of others and to produce a healthy classroom
environment. It is my responsibility, as a teacher, to harness my students positive traits and
develop them into something that reflects genuine character maturity with an others-centered
mindset teamwork, cooperation, deference, and kindness; to provide them with a school
environment conducive to being self-accountable, regulating their emotional output, and resisting
poor impulses; to model an interpretive classroom structure by walking my students through
appropriate responses to frustration or friction; and finally, to train them on solution methods for
diffusing pressurized or conflicting situations that, if left to their instincts of self-preservation,

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would otherwise cause them to act out. This will inculcate a healthy, equitable classroom
climate. The ultimate goal in this is to develop self-thinking problem solving individuals who,
using diplomatic techniques and displays of patience and deference, build safe communities
within their world the classroom. Together, the multiplying effect of character building and
self-responsible problem solving yields a product of healthy citizenship that will be applied in
the students adult future.
The application of student resolution is incomplete without its co-constituent: serving the
community. As students face their day at school, they encounter ample opportunity to be of
service to their school community in the classroom, in the cafeteria, at recess. As a teacher, my
job is to create a sense of thoughtful awareness in my students. What are ways I can build
servant leadership? This charge to teachers, I believe, begins with the teacher. My faith resides in
humility of character, with which I am accountable for modeling Christ-like behavior for my
students. Peter the apostle speaks to this charge in 1 Peter 5:2-3. Care for the flock that God has
entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudginglynot for what you will get out of it, but
because you are eager to serve God. Dont lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead
them by your own good example (New Living Translation).
Teaching servant leadership to a class of young students is comparable to instructing a
child on how to swim. As a teacher, I cannot expect my students to exhibit a servant-oriented
mindset through their actions unless they have first seen it modeled by a trustworthy authority
figure. I also cannot expect a servant leadership habit to be established in the classroom unless I
maintain an environment that consistently encourages and provides the right set of circumstances
for student-initiated advances of servant leadership. This classroom philosophy is modeled after
the humble mission of Jesus Christ, who, in His walk on earth, chose a life of intentional servant

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leadership. Mark 10:43b-45 states, Whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Statement of Philosophy of Education: Behavioral Management
Character development cannot be built in an environment that lacks structure,
consequence, and healthy behavior management. I believe in a strong student understanding of
behavioral achievements, and will therefore provide clear expectations for my students in both
academic behavior and socioemotional behavior. In order for students to comprehend the gravity
of their choices that each conscious choice they make is fully intentional it is my
responsibility to assume a strong leadership role that fairly and consistently applies the
prescribed measure of direct consequence according to the severity of the misbehavior. While I
am supportive of a stringently established approach of consequence-based classroom
management, I am also an advocate of acts of mercy in the appropriate context.
If a student strives to genuinely make amends for personal misbehavior, independent of
teacher intervention, by acknowledging his/her fault with pure intentions; if this student selfinitiates well-meaning steps to apologize for or correct his/her behavior, as a teacher I would be
inclined to recognize this respectful effort towards self-improvement. Merciful gestures offered
to students who, with pure intentions, realign themselves with the proper behavior and attempt to
repair the damage they may have caused, is effective in teaching students healthy social and
emotional practices. In the same breath, I consider discernment to be of utmost importance when
handling these matters; because while a student may in one moment feel remorse for poor
choices, this student may in the next moment attempt to manipulate the circumstances by taking
full advantage of merciful gesture.

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This is why, I believe, consequence-based behavioral management is necessary.

Consequences are definitive ways of showing students the direct outcome their choices have on
themselves, their peers, their teacher, and their environment. The University of Kansas describes
consequence interventions as tools that are used to minimize reinforcement for problem
behavior and increase reinforcement for desirable behavior (Consequence, n.d.). Once this
system is established in the classroom, it lessens the occurrence of disruptive behavior, which
allows for the continual progress of positive reinforcement, character development, and smooth
instruction.
Evidence for Personal Evolution of Philosophy
Since the start of my field experience, I have conceptualized, changed, and developed my
philosophy on education. Naturally, my evolving philosophy has been based on my evolving
growth as a student teacher. Although my fundamental, core beliefs have remained consistent
since the start, several of my sub beliefs and opinions about effective approaches to instruction
have morphed. When I began field experience, my instructional inclination was akin to a teachercentered instructional approach. In a teacher-centered format, instruction is concentrated heavily
on the teacher, wherein the teacher talks, instructs, lectures, chooses topics, and overall maintains
a quiet, relatively inactive room with little movement. Although my instructional approach was
not heavily teacher-centered, it did reflect elements of this description. Through self-evaluation
and constructive feedback from my cooperating teacher, I came to a realization that I was not
encouraging or planning enough hands-on student involvement.
Substantive student involvement is the key to effective learning. Putting the focus on the
student results in greater information recall, real-world understanding, and direct student
practice. To make students the center of instruction, there is a necessary element of deliberate

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student focus and involvement, by which the teacher molds her instructional lessons using Dr.
Richard Felders (2009) active learning philosophy. That is, to get students actively involved in
learning andworking together in productive ways. This gives students the space, the
incentive, and the appropriate dynamic to acquire higher level thinking skills through student
accountability, teamwork, and manipulation of materials. While learning that student-centered
instruction is vital to a well-run, instructionally effective classroom, I also challenged my
thinking to include more frequent peer engagement through cooperative learning.
Student-centered instruction activates student-to-student and student-to-teacher
interaction through creative inquiry & discussion, the sharing of ideas, and cooperative
engagement. This dynamic inspires high quality questions and deeper, critical thinking among
students as they explore, experience, and collaborate together. It ensures that these high quality
components are shared among the class, not kept quiet by the student. This concept promotes
the theory that Vygotsky (1978) asserted [] that learning is highly social and thus influences
the development of the brain. What children can do with the assistance of others is even more
indicative of their mental development than what they can do alone (p. 85) (Literature Review,
n.d., p. 3).
Taking a look back at my student teaching experience, I would say that I have become
strongly perceptive of how effective, how inspiring, and how essential student-centered learning
is to creating success in the classroom. This evolution of beliefs is a gratefully humbling aspect
of student teaching. In a way, teachers become students when they open themselves to selfimprovement. I am eager to learn better approaches to education throughout my career. The
Scriptures speak to this willingness to learn in Proverbs 1:5 Let the wise hear and increase in
learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. As part of my Christian faith, I am

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commanded by God to seek out knowledge and wisdom. This applies to not only my spiritual
walk, but also to my teaching career. As a teacher, I will be the wiser for seeking to learn more,
discover more, and better myself for the sake of my students and colleagues.
Statement of Goals
My goals as an educator are purposeful and intentional. My utmost desire as a teacher is
to reach each of my students as a whole. Their emotional and social needs, their academic
aspirations this extends beyond visible differences and delves into family culture, personal
interests, childhood background, the psyche, and any other part of the child that contributes to
the whole. The classroom is my mission field, and I consider it my mission to build good
character in my students. Ultimately, I am training, guiding, and raising my students to be
contributing citizens who demonstrate an others-centered mindset that drives them to be servant
leaders and role models. Establishing this culture in my classroom will influence my students
long-term and denote a focus on positive behavior. This inspires students to desire and pursue
intentional, praiseworthy choices that are made independently.
I plan to motivate my students to achieve success and practice exemplary work ethic. My
goal is to run a classroom that is generated on student-centered learning that is constructively
entertaining, visually explorative, kinesthetically friendly, and culturally sensitive. Any standard
of learning can be strategically taught to effectuate enjoyable, comprehensive learning. In order
for my students to reach my high expectations of academic achievement, I must first do for them
what it takes to equip their minds, feed their interests, and exponentially increase their learning
potential. This will accomplish my personal goal to shape my students into well-qualified
citizens marked by ethical, others-centered character and positive, diligent mindsets that bring
about strong work ethic.

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References

Consequence Interventions. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2016, from

http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=behavior_plans/positive_behavior_support_int
erventions/teacher_tools/consequence_interventions

Dr. Felder, R. [Duke Center for Instructional Technology]. (2009, Nov. 25). Active Learning
with Dr. Richard Felder. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=1J1URbdisYE
Kohn, A. (2006). Chapter 1. The Nature of Children. Retrieved November 06, 2016, from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/106033/chapters/The-Nature-of-Children.aspx
Literature Review: Student-Centered Classrooms, n.d. [PDF]. IowaCore. Retrieved from
http://www.gwaea.org/iowacorecurriculum/docs/StudCentClass_LitReview.pdf