Philosophy of Teaching

As a teacher I am aware that this is a 24/7 profession and I will constantly be

thinking of how I can improve upon my lesson plans, classroom management and
relationships with my students to enable my students to succeed in my classroom. I will
strive to remain professional in every aspect of the job, from dressing appropriately, to
being punctual, to communicating respectfully with my students and colleagues.
Professionalism is a major part of this career, and I will make it my goal to remain
professional in every situation. I will ensure to be dressed appropriately at all times
wearing conservative clothing, having well-groomed hair and an overall clean-cut
image. Making sure to always present myself in the most appropriate way outside of the
classroom as well, because I never know when I will run into one of my students and or
parents of a student. I will be sure to maintain a professional relationship with my
students. I want to be a caring adult whom they can trust, however I do not want them to
be so comfortable that they feel like I’m their friend. I will not show favoritism towards
my students or discriminate against any of my students. I believe that all of my students
should have equal opportunities to learn, grow and succeed. To foster their success, I
will fill my lesson plans with strategies and materials that they can apply inside and
outside of the classroom. I will make sure to interact and collaborate with my colleagues
in order to create an environment that focuses on the learning and success of our
students in all subjects, not just the subject that I teach. I will not engage in gossiping,
arguments or any other inappropriate behavior with my colleagues, in an effort to
maintain a professional relationship with them. I am eager and willing to devote my time,
knowledge and heart to teaching my students.
As a teacher supporting culturally diverse students in my classroom will be one of
my main priorities. I want to ensure that all of my students have a space where they feel
safe and comfortable with themselves, their classmates and their teacher (me). In an
effort to create this safe space, I plan to get to know each student on a personal level so
that they feel comfortable talking with me about anything. I will also allow ample time for
students to get to know each other on a personal level in order to create a loving and
friendly environment for all. To promote culture diversity in the classroom I will make
when showing pictures in PowerPoints and during lessons to include pictures of all
races and ethnicities to showcase all students in the classroom. Similarly, I will make
sure to hang posters around my classroom that show culturally diverse students and
that promote kindness and positivity. I also want to provide opportunities for
assignments that allow every student to teach the class about their specific culture,
including traditions they have, holidays they celebrate, etc. I will also make sure to
connect with the parents and communicate my goals for diversity in the classroom with
parents, asking if they have any questions, concerns or recommendations. I can
communicate with parents by hosting a parent night, providing additional opportunities
via Zoom for a video conference if they cannot attend the parent night due to previous
obligations. I will also make sure to keep parents updated by sending home monthly
newsletters to their emails and through the mail so that they can see what their child
has been learning and working on in class. Overall, I will do whatever I can to ensure a
culturally diverse classroom where all of my students feel welcome and supported.
In my classroom I will have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying. Students who are
caught teasing, name calling, yelling or hitting other students will be sent directly to the
principal’s office and based on the severity of the situation will receive detention or in
some cases suspension from the school. In my classroom I will teach my students
about bullying and explain to them why it is wrong. I will also teach them how to be
effective bystanders, so that if they encounter an act of bullying, they know how they
can help. I want to create a sense of community in my classroom where all students feel
like they are safe, understood and respected by not only me but their peers as well. In
my classroom creating a space for my students to be happy and confident is important
to me. Every morning my class and I will start the day with affirmations such as “I am
smart”, “I love myself”, “I am proud of who I am”, “In this classroom we embrace each
other's differences”, “In this classroom we treat each other with respect and kindness”.
Using daily affirmations to start the day helps boost students' confidence and make
them feel good about themselves. Kindness and compassion will be main features in
my classroom, students will be encouraged daily to practice kindness and compassion
towards others. I will be sure to incorporate lessons about kindness and respect into
what my students are learning each week, so that they can see different examples of it
on a weekly basis. Also, as a role model for my students I will make sure to always treat
others with compassion, respect and kindness, so that they can learn through my
actions. If I make a mistake, I will be sure to apologize to them for it, so that they can
learn that everyone makes mistakes, even their teachers. But the most important thing
when you make a mistake is to apologize for it. Creating an environment where my
students respect and care for one another will be a main goal in my classroom, that I
will continue to strive for until it is achieved.