Teaching Philosophy - Relationships that Continuously Build with Students

As an educator, I love to create and maintain the relationships that I continuously build with my students. I enjoy having conversations with them about current world topics, and issues that affect them, daily, thoughts, and ideas that generate their critical thinking skills. I want my classroom to be less of a class and more of a community, where we are all sharing ideas and communicating and learning from one another at I have a very firm belief that young people can make great changes in the world if they are given the right information and tools, and I want to help my students reach their goals in life by giving them the tools to better communicate with other citizens of their country and world. I am very enthusiastic about working with high school students. As an educator, I love to create and maintain the relationships that I continuously build with my students.

I enjoy having conversations with them about current world topics, and issues that affect them, daily, thoughts, and ideas that generate their critical thinking skills. I want my classroom to be less of a class and more of a community, where we are all sharing ideas and communicating and learning from one another at I have a very firm belief that young people can make great changes in the world if they are given the right information and tools, and I want to help my students reach their goals in life by giving them the tools to better communicate with other citizens of their country and world.

I am very enthusiastic about working with high school students.

They are at the age when they are just starting to consider who they are and where they want to go in life, and I believe that this is one of the most important periods in personal development.

Adolescent students ate fragile; they are hungering for acceptance, encouragement, and recognition; they can easily be discouraged by lack of trust in their skill and performance at school. These characteristics bring a positive challenge to the prospect of teaching in a high school; I want to be a positive role model and “cheerleader” for my students, be a listening ear, a professional resource, and a collaborator who assist in problem- solving. I also want to give my students some level of independence to the work that they are doing in class; at this age, the majority of students desire more. I want to allow them to develop these skills while they’re in my class.

I believe that a good relationship between a high school teacher and her students is built on a strong foundation of mutual understanding, respect, and trust. To determine the needs and desires of students effectively, the teacher must be the first to understand their students and where they come from. The teacher must be the first to open the doors to good communication, as all students and parents will not replicate this effort. She must also be willing to communicate her expectations to the class; having a sincere attitude toward her students and showing concern for both their classwork and their lives. Teachers and students both deserve respect as human beings and individuals; educators also desire respect as a professional but must be vigilant on how they achieve this goal. As a teacher, I will be in a position of authority, but I don’t want to be authoritarian or a tyrant.

I will also have the opportunity to be a friend and confidante for many of my students, but I don’t want to cross the line of professionalism. As the teacher, I must be especially careful to explain those situations in which I may have to break a student’s trust in order to comply with the law; for example, if the students reveal through some sort of communication or even on their writing that they are being abused or are an accomplice in a crime.

The teacher should explain the use of these resources to her students, and make special plans for the inclusion of students with special needs and students for whom English. The classroom walls should be designed interestingly and insightfully; newsletter boards for displaying samples of the students' work and relevant details on topics covered in the classroom, festive displays, and calendar/ announcement boards make the classroom appealing and interactive. The classroom should be kept neat and organized and should be run in an organized fashion so that students know what to expect.

I believe that to foster learning in the best way possible, the teacher needs to be enthusiastic about the material being studied, even when her students aren’t. I need to be a classroom mentor and cheerleader; I also need to point out the positive aspects of each student's work in a sincere way, along with constructive criticism. I must be open to inclusion and a wide range of views and opinions and set classroom standards so that students respect and value one another. She must be willing to listen and compromise, but be firm in her decisions and promises. A “stagnant” teacher is no good to the class – a teacher is not just a teacher but also a lifelong learner.

Therefore, she must also continue to build her wealth of professional knowledge, taking additional courses, advancing her degree and attending workshops and conferences with fellow teachers to exchange ideas and theories and learn new things to give her students the most up-to-date information possible.

My teaching philosophy is based on what I understand and have learned throughout my professional career. I am sure that my teaching philosophy will change as I learn more like a young professional. That’s one of the gifts of being human; we can make mistakes, or learn something new, and make a change for the better.