Teaching+Philosophy

Cassandra J. Atkinson Teaching Philosophy Elementary Education As an educator, it is vital to understand that we teach children, not content. This is important to me because as a teacher, we have the ability to make a significant impact on children’s lives. It is not what we teach, but who we are teaching that really matters. I am extremely passionate about being able to educate children and share my knowledge to help others. I believe that it takes a special person to be a teacher; a passionate and dedicated person. A teacher teaches because they love what they are doing and feel excited to get up every day knowing that they have a positive impact on the lives of others. It is a teacher’s responsibility to help facilitate student’s development into the real world. I will work to educate children so that they become socially contributing citizens of the world.

I strongly believe that all children can learn if given the proper accommodations. It is extremely important to grant an equal opportunity for all students. This can be done by teaching with an open mind and managing many different profiles of learning. It is essential to understand that student’s have different learning styles. There is more than one right way to solve a problem and there may be more than one right answer. By identifying student’s abilities and learning styles, I am able to provide the most conducive learning environment for all students.

Creating a classroom that is very welcoming and inviting is important to me. I want my students to feel excited about coming to class. The classroom needs to be a positive atmosphere where students feel comfortable and at home. This can be done by encouraging creativity and accepting ideas from all students. By educating myself about cultural differences within the classroom, and identifying, accepting, and adapting to those differences, I allow all students to feel like they belong. It is important to provide a safe learning environment in the classroom, which can be done by applying my teaching styles. I believe in using a combination of behaviorism and constructivism, depending on the situation. Certain behaviors should be recognized with positive reinforcement. Shaping should also be used to facilitate learning. Other situations require a constructivist approach. When students use prior knowledge and experiences, they are able to interact with other students to create scaffolded learning. Children should have experiences in the class that enable them to realize that constructs should be changed based on the circumstance.

It is essential to form relationships and have clear communication with students so that they feel like they belong to a mini community within the school. By doing this, I am able to recognize, acknowledge, and teach a diverse set of children effectively. By using pluralism in the classroom, I am able to integrate different cultures, ideas, and beliefs instead of assimilating. In addition, students will form relationships and gain knowledge from their peers by utilizing cooperative learning.

My teaching philosophy reflects my beliefs as an educator. I recognize that all students learn differently and I will adapt in order to accommodate each of my students needs. By forming positive relationships, encouraging creativity, scaffolded learning, and a culturally responsive classroom, each student will feel comfortable and excited about coming to school. I believe that I will become a wonderful educator by following my teaching strategies and philosophies