Janeth Mora

Dr. Anzalone; Edu.202

Tuesday March 13, 2018

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is a hybrid between Student Centered, Progressivism, and

Existentialism. I think that if students have to spend 12 or more years in school, they should have

a say in their education and have the freedom to learn about themselves along the away. Students

are constantly gaining and shedding layers of who they are. None of us are born knowing exactly

who we are or where we want to go, it is something we construct as we learn what does and

doesn’t work for us.

My philosophy about teaching has influences of being student centered because I believe

that the classroom should be flexible and allow students to have the freedom to make their own

choices, and from that, learn their consequences. The classroom should not be focused on

training the mind, but on opening and expanding the mind, in order to encourage students to see

beyond the present moment and into the future. Students should be encouraged to work in groups

in order to steer them into being adults who believe in team effort and unity. I am also influenced

by Progressivism because I want my students to be progressive thinkers, and to not get stuck in

the moment. I want them to understand that the answers will not always be in a book and that

most of the time they will have to go and make their own answers and solutions. What they learn

in school will not always directly be used in the real world, but rather, the character and

discipline of overcoming their challenges will be used after high school. The part of

Existentialism that I plan to use is that teaching should be used to help students learn about who
they are and who they would and would not like to become. We should be able to connect how

what we are teaching them will affect them personally.

The philosophy that does not fit me is Essentialism. Students should be allowed to talk

and share opinions because it helps them build important social skills. It will also help them learn

how to defend their beliefs and also become more open minded to other ways of thinking. We

truly learn from talking to others and realizing that there is more than just way of doing things,

and it is important to keep that concept alive in the classroom.

Looking towards the future, in five years, I see myself being an English high school

teacher here in Las Vegas. I would like to teach at a public school, and help students who

struggle with the subject. Since this would be my third year teaching, I hope to feel comfortable

with teaching from freshmen to seniors. In ten years, I would like to feel fully confident in the

way I run a classroom and be able to mentor first years teachers. My goal is to be able to start a

poetry club for students and/or an arts club. The Arts club would welcome kids who enjoy music,

singing, painting, drawing, photography, or drawing. By using their interests we could find ways

to raise money for their school or have concerts or galleries in which they can display their

talents and creations.