Teaching Philosophy

Throughout my master's program, I had to write and alter my teaching philosophy. I am ashamed to admit that, previous to be required to write a teaching philosophy, I never had one written. The overall idea and foundation were in my head, but as I have shared multiple times in this blog, I am learning that writing and reflecting on happenings in my career is essential to growing as an educator. Writing down my teaching philosophy and having someone else read it, forces me to live out my philosophy. Below is my final teaching philosophy I turned in for my master's program.

I believe a teacher’s role in the classroom is to act as an advisor and guide the students through the learning process. A teacher should deliver lessons that contain state standards while teaching students how those standards apply to their daily lives and their future. Teachers must center their lessons around student achievement and provide classrooms that are safe and allow for personal development.  

At Mount Olive Lutheran School, I have the privilege to serve students in those realms, but I also have the responsibility and blessing of doing so in a family setting where God’s love and forgiveness are taught each day. Within the congregation I get to serve in a variety of ways such as VBS or children’s messages and as a role model for the students. Another key role of a teacher or administrator is community building.  Building a positive rapport with the surrounding community is vital to growth in a school. Without support from the community, a school will surely die. The ability to market a school depends on the reputation within the surrounding community, and the reputation of the school stems from the word of mouth of current and past families. A school must also serve the community. If the school was gone tomorrow, it should leave some void in the community as the school is serving that community. An educator must be in the community building those relationships consistently to know the clientele of the school district and to promote the school in a personal way.

As an educator, I assess my student's ability and learning styles, to analyze their findings, and to teach to each individual’s needs.  I believe in an approach where teachers focus on students as individuals and strive to create more one-on-one, or small group opportunities give teachers the ability to get to know their students.  I believe that an effective teacher must be able to diagnose the student's ability, differentiate to teach them at their level, and continuously challenge and support them throughout the learning process.  While I agree that everyone should be given the opportunity to learn the same information, I believe teachers need to recognize that not everyone takes in the information in the same manner, which is why using multiple teaching methods and differentiating is so important. To do this, a teacher must use a variety of delivery methods for their lessons to account for the students who learn auditorily, visually, and kinesthetically while incorporating technology to enhance lessons. Teachers must recognize that we live in a world that is constantly changing, and new technology is being developed daily.  Teachers need to provide opportunities for students to experience and work with the subject matter.

I believe teachers need to teach to the whole child, ensuring every child is provided with a safe, effective, and challenging learning environment.  As a Lutheran educator, I am not bound to as strict of guidelines and can provide each student with meeting them where they are academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states that biological and physiological needs come first. As an educator, I need to provide these basic needs for those students who do not receive them at home. I have to bond with my students so that I know exactly what needs I need to provide for my students so that they are all ready to effectively learn.

       Working in a Lutheran School makes creating our long-term vision easier because we believe not only in education but also in Jesus Christ as our Savior and his command to “Go and make disciples”  (Matthew 28:19). In creating a Christ-centered classroom, the focus on of my classroom management system is respect, respect for the teacher and peers. My classrooms rules and consequences reflect this respect relationship between teacher and student. Helping students develop respect for themselves as learners, fosters a safe and positive learning environment within the classroom.  

As a teacher, I motivate students by creating a learning environment that is positive and safe while creating bonds with the students by showing them respect and interest in their activities. This type of environment should be evident in every classroom.  I believe teacher’s job to continually build students up and provide that positive reinforcement. As a junior high teacher, I believe it is my role to begin to show students the importance of education, to help develop their intrinsic motivation and desire to achieve, which will serve them for a lifetime.

Students are the driving force behind all of the aspects of education and every decision that is made. Educators want the students to feel safe and cared about each day they walk in the door, making them ready to learn. Once they are ready to learn, the educator attempts to put the best curriculum, lessons, classroom environment,  technology, and other resources to best increase student achievement. This love for education, but more important, the love of children is the driving force behind my hard work and dedication to my calling as an educator.

Tona

HE>I

Giving up control...

I recently had a conversation with a college friend (who is also a middle school teacher).  Our conversation eventually led to what learning looks like in each of our classrooms.  I shared with her that our school went one-to-one with Chromebooks about 5 years ago and since then I have changed my role in the classroom.  Instead of being the teacher that lectures to students for their learning, I am the teacher that facilitates their learning.  Her first question to me was, "How can you give that much control to your students?"  Well, it wasn't easy, especially for this type A personality teacher.  I like to have a plan and I like things to go according to plan but when you hand over the reins to your students and let them lead the learning, well, things don't always go according to your plan.  

Image taken from His Work In Progress

What Giving Up Control Looked Like For Me

Three years ago I flipped my math classroom... meaning my students have homework every night that consists of watching a video on the concept that they are going to practice in class the next day. At first, this brought on a lot of anxiety because I felt like I was losing control of my classroom.  I didn’t know what each day would look like because I didn’t know how much help each of my students would need. After a few short weeks, I saw that the environment that I had created was much more student centered. Students could watch and rewatch the video as many times as they need to to grasp the concept being presented.  They are also given the opportunity to show me how they can apply the concept to the real world instead of always doing practice problems on a worksheet.

Blended Learning

Flipping my classroom wasn't just about giving up control and allowing my students to lead the learning, but it also meant that students were often times learning from more than just me. In my flipped classroom, sometimes I would make a video for my students to watch, but often times I would look for a video online that they could watch. When my students are working on practice problems for math or science and they don't understand, I often ask them if they have used all their resources before coming to me to ask the question. Those resources being: their textbook, their classmate, and their computer. Students today have everything they have every wanted to know right at their fingertips! Often times, I think they forget that. As a teacher in the 21st century, I believe it is my job to teach students how to use the resources they have available to them. Don't get me wrong, I also believe in knowing the process behind how to solve for x and y and understanding the stages of mitosis, but I also believe in teaching students how to advocate for themselves in their learning. Educators and parents need to understand that classrooms today look much different with the focus being the use of technology and the individual needs of each student. This is a mind shift for many teachers. Change can be difficult for anyone, but I think we stop making education about us and start making it about the kids.

Tona

HE>I

Reference
M. (2014). Your Plan vs Your Reality. Retrieved from http://hisworkinprogress2.com/plan-vs-reality/

The Importance of Teaching Digital Citizenship

Since my last post was about why I believe integrating technology into education is important, I thought it would be appropriate to follow it up with the importance of teaching digital citizenship.  

Graphic credited to dogoodbekind.life

My students use digital communication as their main form of communication with their peers.  Many times in the morning as students are entering school and getting ready for the day I hear them talking about the group messages from the previous evening.  I also have students that text or email me. (I am thankful that I work in a school that allows me to do this. This has built some great relationships between myself and my students). I have learned, both with my own children and with my students they are more willing to share things with you via text message. With that in mind I believe it is even more important for me to lay the groundwork for my students on the importance of digital citizenship. I believe it is my role to “promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information” (ISTE Standards, 2008, n.p).  Students need to know and understand digital etiquette. Ribble (2015) states, “Often rules and regulations are created or the technology is simply banned to stop inappropriate use” (n.p). While this may be an easier route, and possibly necessary under certain circumstances, it creates a situation where students never learn proper digital etiquette.   The ISTE Standards for Students (2016) outlines specific goals for students when using technology which includes, “engaging in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices” (n.p). If students aren’t taught what ethical behavior online is or aren’t given the opportunity to practice it, is difficult to hold them accountable for something they don’t know much about.  

During my Master's courses, I learned a lot about digital citizenship and found many free curriculums that I have since utilized.  Common Sense Media has an extensive library that I found to be extremely useful when I began looking for resources to teach my children about digital citizenship.  My students particularly loved the games that went along with the lessons I taught.  The main thing I have felt is essential to get across to my students is that what you post online, text in a message or your search history is your digital footprint.  It is there forever.

via GIPHY

I see the look on my students' faces when I tell them this.  Sometimes it is utter fear, and this makes me sad for them.  It also makes me realize no one has taught them about online behavior, which also shows me that I need to work on educating parents on digital citizenship.  I am slowing but surely doing this.  It is part of my conference talk in both the fall and the spring.  I would like to host a digital citizenship night for parents.  They don't know what it is like to grow up with any information you could ever want, be right at your fingertips, and therefore many of them don't know how to parents children that do have it at their disposal.

I will post an update when I host this parent night (hopefully this fall) and let you know how it goes.  Has anyone does this and are there any tips you can provide?

Tona

HE>I


References
Image. (n.d).  Retrieved from https://dogoodbekind.life/

International Society for Technology in Education. (2016). ISTE standards: Students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE standards: Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship: Using technology appropriately [website]. Retrieved from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Home_Page.html

A Case for Technology Integration

Image taken from Ouachita Parish Schools

If you know me at all (which I realize many of you don't...yet 😉)  you know I am passionate about

bringing technology into the classroom. While there is a case for an argument against technology

(which will be saved for another post), this post sheds some light on the importance of technology in

the classroom.  

Moving From then to NOW

Education today looks very different than education from even ten years ago. Chalkboards have been replaced by Smartboards, traditional textbooks are being replaced by ebooks, and pencil and paper have been replaced by Chromebooks or Ipads. Current day students understand and effectively use a large amount of technology. The skills students need to know to be prepared for the workplace include the ability to use a variety twenty-first century technologies. Selwyn (2011) points out “this increasing capacity for technological development has been accompanied by a corresponding growth in the use of digital technologies across most areas of life” (p. 22).  An important piece of effective teaching is meeting students where they are and today’s child, between the ages of eight and 18, spends an average of 7 hours 38 minutes a day with digital media (Kulman, 2015). It is a double when when teachers teach 21st-century skills by incorporating technologies that students know and enjoy to enhance current lessons.

Embracing Twenty-First Century Skills

Digital technologies are essential to supporting effective forms of education in the twenty-first century. One of the main responsibilities of the any school system is to prepare students to be successful in the current workforce. According to Selwyn (2011), “many occupations are now centered on information processing, with workers using digital technology to create and manipulate information-based ‘virtual’ products” (p.23). In the 2010’s, the expectation of employers is that students have the capabilities and comfort to use incorporate technology. Many states have added “21st-century skills” to their list of required standards. Twenty-first century skills, which include a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, along with character traits, are skills that are essential to successful employment.

Bringing the World into every Classroom

This ability to use digital technologies in the classroom provides so many opportunities for students that would otherwise not happen.  Possibly the most basic use of technology in the classroom is the number of video resources available to teachers to enhance lessons. Websites like YouTube put an infinite number of videos are the fingertips of teachers, and if a video can’t be found, teachers have the ability to create their own and upload them.  The use of videos outside the classroom provides students, and parents, with additional support to supplement teacher instruction. The use of technology in the classroom also gives students the ability to conduct online science labs, “travel” to any place in the world, and bring experts into the classroom through applications such as FaceTime or Skype.  According to “New literacies” (2009), students have the right to “a literacy curriculum that offers opportunities to collaboratively read, share, and create with peers from around the world” (p.2). Through technology, students can easily communicate and collaborate at school or even in the comfort of their own homes.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Why do you believe it is important to integrate technology into education? I would love to hear your thoughts!

HE> I

References

Great Schools Partnership. (2014). 21st century skills. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/

International Reading Association. (2009). New literacies and 21st-century technologies: A position statement of the International Reading Association. Retrieved from http://www.reading.org/Libraries/position-statements-and-resolutions/ps1067_NewLiteracies21stCentury.pdf

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). National educational technology standards for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-teachers [https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf]
Kulman, D. R., & Watkins, L. (2016, April 20). How Much Time Do Kids Spend With Technology? Retrieved from http://learningworksforkids.com/2015/07/how-much-time-do-kids-spend-with-technology/
Selwyn, N. (2011). Education and technology: Key issues and debates. London, UK: Bloomsbury.