EDPG addressed: EDPG 9 - Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

Name of Artifact: Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Date of Artifact: Summer 2016
Course in which Artifact was implemented: ED 205 - Survey of Teaching and Learning

My educational philosophy is that every child should be provided a quality education in order to
maximize his/her ability to be successful. My goal is for my classroom to be a safe, engaging,
and productive environment for all my students. I would like them to be continuously engaged in
the learning process while doing my best to have a positive impact on their learning experience
and providing them a strong foundation for lifelong learning. It is important that a teacher know
each of his/her students well since each student is emotionally, socially, psychologically, and
physically developed differently. In order to understand and be a part of his/her students life, a
teacher should involve parents and community members in the educational process. As per
Jeynes (2003), they can provide a motivational framework for each learning opportunity. Re-
search has shown that parental involvement is the most important factor in a student's success in
school. In addition, interactions within the community provides rich, multicultural experiences to
young minds.

To accomplish my goal I routinely plan different kind of activities, such as group games or indi-
vidual writing activities. This allows me to get to know my students better, determine their cog-
nitive levels, and tailor my instruction accordingly. Some of my favorite activities that are well
received by students include: paired assignments, acting out activities, and interactive lectures.
Understanding both the learning style of individual learners and the cultural diversity of the class
helps me design and provide effective instruction. Individualized instruction is an integral strate-
gy I use to aid children with different learning preferences and abilities, and to keep them moti-
vated to learn. My lessons incorporate auditory, kinesthetic, and visual techniques to meet indi-
vidual challenges. Cooperative learning strategies, integration of technology, real-life problems,
as well as scaffolding are also necessary to provide an environment where children can use self-
discovery and a hands-on approach to learning.

Learning and assessment are connected. Learning is a means of assessment, and assessment dri-
ves instruction. As pointed by Gielen (2003), assessment is used as a tool for learning (Gielen et
al in Segers et al, 2003). It allows to check if students are getting a good instruction and where
they all stand in the learning process.In order to facilitate learning I involve students in the
process of assessment by showing them rubrics of their work, and giving them regular self-eval-
uation exercises. This helps students develop the ability to judge their own accomplishment and
to set goals for themselves. I have developed various assessments, from alternative types of as-
sessment (rubrics, checklists, projects, portfolios, auto-evaluation checks, presentations, etc.) to
traditional exams/test construction.

I am committed to provide a fun, safe and comfortable learning environment because learning
should be fun and exciting! My classroom will be an inviting and safe place where students will
feel comfortable, and love to learn. I have discovered that, by sharing my passion for teaching
and learning, and using these principles with enthusiasm and empathy help me connect with
learners. As a result, teaching with clarity, passion, empathy, and sincere enthusiasm, effectively
impacts learners, ultimately connecting them to their passion and lifelong learning.

Bibliography

Jeynes, W.H. (2003). A meta-analysis: The effects of parental involvement on minority childrens
academic achievement. Education and Urban Society, 35(2), 202-218.

Gielen, S., Dochy, F. & Dierick, S. (2003). Evaluating the Consequential Validity of New
Modes of Assessment: The Influence of Assessment on Learning, Including Pre-, Post-, and
True Assessment Effects.