EPC 4909

Practicum 4b (Internship)

Philosophy Statement

Name: Amani Alshehhi

ID number: H00271720

Section: AE8

Prepared For: Dr. Cara Weston

 Philosophy Statement

Education plays a pivotal role in the development of any country. The English language

is an important subject that need to be mastered in the schools. When I was young, I

found that the English lessons were boring and difficult to get. The students were just

sitting and listening to an hour lecture with limited understanding of the language. In

accordance with the English language importance in my country, I always try to deliver

my lessons with a fun energy and excitement that I hope my students will emulate. I

believe that education should be universal, enjoyable and reinforce literacy skills. In my

teaching philosophy I will share some of my core beliefs regarding to my experience in

teaching and learning including:

 21st century skills

 Different resources make an effective lesson

 Play can engage students and help to remember the information

 Each learner has own learning style.

These beliefs come from my reflections and practical experience over four years of

teaching practice in different schools.

21st Century skills

The twenty-first-century demands have changed dramatically than the previous centuries

(Bellanca, 2010). The ministry of education in the UAE changing its requirements to

meet the new standards and keep up with required 21st century skills. Literacy skills as
reading and writing are mandated in the past and in future education. I believe that

literacy is an essential base of education for all sciences (Woolley & Coutts.2014). In my

point of view that young learners paid their attention to the video games and social media

than learning.

Play can engage students and help to remember the information

Games are a regular part of children's lives. I believe that students learn best when they

are motivated and learning occurs when they are given opportunities to apply information

presented in class to real life situations. Teachers should create the most appropriate ‘play

environment’ for children to help them to progress socially and cognitively (Dolinar,

1994). I will keep creating new useful games to motivate students to learn. Games are a

powerful and useful tool; classrooms can address even the most difficult content in a

lighthearted, lively, engaging way (Haystead & Marzano, 2009). However, some of my

favorites that are well received by students include puzzle activities group games by

using some applications on IPad. Indeed, recreational activities offer a wealth of

principles that, when used appropriately, can benefit classroom learning and motivation

at all levels.

Different resources make an effective lesson

I believe using different resources can make an effective lesson. For example, when I was

on teaching practice, my MST used different resources like technology, pictures, charts,

games, books (stories), etc. I saw how students engaged in the class and were more active

to participate and learn. From my experience, I used online games and I downloaded

different educational applications and I noticed most of the students wanted to play, and
they felt interested. Actually, this is part of my personal development goals. I always try

to use new applications that engage student to learn. Great materials for the lesson are

crucial for students because they help students think, and explore new things and get

wider knowledge. High quality of resources will help students to work well and do best

work.

Each learner has own learning style

I believe that every teacher should use a variety of strategies when teaching young

learners. I always try to build an effective lesson to make it more enjoyable and creative,

so students can learn better. I believe that education in the UAE will improve

significantly if teachers work hard to engage all students who have different learning

styles and do the same for special needs students. Each student has a different learning

style. Some of them prefer to learn by seeing picture, some by hearing voices, and others

by moving and touching things around them. I think that teachers are responsible for

preparing different methods, so they will be able to understand the lesson very well.

Students may have different aims for taking a concept, and the different learning styles,

such as visual, auditory, and tactile kinesthetic learners (Gardner, 1985). I keep in my

mind that all students prefer certain way in learning, so when I write my lesson plans I try

to include several different tasks that all students can achieve.

Conclusion

These philosophy statements show what I believe about teachers and what should they do

to create an effective lesson for students. I will take these beliefs into account to help

students to be successful and make them more motivated to study. I plan to make the
learning process in UAE schools more advanced through the use of the latest

technologies in education and providing students with their needs as to meet their goals.
Reference

Bellanca, J. A. (2010). Enriched learning projects: A practical pathway to 21st century

skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Dolinar, J. (1994). Learning Through Play: Curriculum and Activities for the Inclusive
Classroom. Albany, NY: Delmar

Gardner, H. (1985). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York City,
NY: Basic Books, Inc

Haystead, M. W., & Marzano, R. J. (2009). Meta-Analytic Synthesis of Studies

Conducted at Marzano Research Laboratory on Instructional Strategies. Englewood,
CO: Marzano Research Laboratory.

Positive reinforcement in the classroom. (2015). Retrieved on 4th of October, 2018 from
http://educationgy.org/web/index.php/teachers/tips-for-teaching/item/1385-positive-
reinforcement-in-the-classroom.

Woolley, G., & Coutts MyiLibrary. (2014). Developing literacy in the primary classroom
(1st ed.). London: Sage.