Statement on Teaching and Learning

I believe that in education and more importantly teaching, that every student will have their own unique way or level of ability on how they learn. My main objective in any future class I teach will be to find and understand each individual student’s way of learning and how to utilize their individual strengths and to mold their weaknesses into a strength. As the teacher, I strongly believe that the most important aspect of a student’s learning capability is the environment in which they are taught. I firmly believe that the first job and the most important job or a teacher is to create a classroom where the student can learn in a safe and relaxing environment. Once the correct environment is established in the classroom the student will be able to more freely express themselves; through self-expression the student will be able to begin to try new ideas and truly be able to learn. Through these techniques I believe that the student will be more cable of developing lasting knowledge in learning, confidence in themselves, and be able to further understand how they best learn as students.

I believe that the most important part of teaching a student does not come from homework, quizzes, or exams, but from the material taught to them in the classroom. I understand that homework, quizzes, and exams have a purpose, but I have found through growing up in the United States education system that test scores have become more important than the knowledge gained by the student. Growing up under these setting have drastically affected my outlook on education and how students should be taught. I believe through the correct effective instruction of the classroom the teacher will be cable in teaching the student. I believe a teacher’s effective instruction comes from the teacher's first thorough understanding of the material of each individual lesson plan and being able to teach without the use of a book. Teaching from the book only separates the student and teacher’s relationship and the ability of the student to learn only minimizes. Through using firsthand knowledge, the student will feel more engaged and the teacher will be more available to answer questions that may arise during the lesson. I believe through availability and knowledge of the material I will be able to help each individual student in each of their individual learning needs. Through this process, I believe that each student will begin to learn their strengths and weakness and how to improve them. With learning their strengths and weakness the student will develop their own learning style, that will have a lasting effect on their future learning.

Within any classroom a teacher’s job begins the day they set foot in the classroom. Before any student has been assigned to their class, or before they have a class list. A teacher’s job begins when they first begin to question what does it mean to learn? Simply, why do they teach, why does a student learn? The answer is that which we as humans have come to many different answers, one which I believe to be true and that is we learn to teach. One does not have to be a teacher to teach someone, but we all must learn to teach. I believe teaching is something that every teacher must understand that one can always improve. One can always learn new ways to teach, new methods, or studies. Teaching is a never-ending lesson that changes from one class to the next, from one student to another. The one constant is that there will always be a new student that has yet learned what a teacher has to offer as each individual student learns differently, each teacher teaches differently. Through this understanding, a teacher will be able to better understand their students and by doing so will be able to help their students find more confidence in themselves and how they learn. One does not simply learn but must be taught by those who have understood.

            In teaching one of the most challenging aspects is learning the best way to convey a subject or topic to a student. I believe that it is important that every teacher sets goals for themselves or developmental milestones. Milestones should never just be for the student’s cognitive, social-emotional, and psychosocial development in learning but also the teachers. Learning is something a teacher must constantly strive for themselves and not just something expected of their students. Teaching should always be a growing experience that is never completed but always studied. I believe that through creating a positive environment, understand the material, and setting goals a teacher will be able to effectively teach.  I believe a teacher’s ability to adapt and utilize new teaching methods and techniques can have a major impact on a student’s experience and outcome in their lives. As a future teacher, I cannot ask or expect my students to improve in something, if I am not willing to improve in something myself. My one true goal as a teacher is to always continue to learn and develop my craft. I believe I should always lead by example and actions always speak louder than words as words are only words until put into action.

            Once the environment is in place, an understanding of the material and a relentless passion for learning is instilled into a teacher an effective instructional can be designed. I believe the most important aspect of the delivery of the topic to the students comes from planning. There must be a solid balance between how quickly a subject is taught and how much time is spent on a subject. I have personally felt the faults in lesson plans that have gone too fast and too slow. I have been left behind in a lesson and struggled to catch up with the rest of the class and I have also excelled in a lesson plan and was left waiting for the rest of the class. In every classroom and lesson plan, there will always be both kinds of students.  As different students learn at different paces the lesson needs to effectively help each student. I believe the organization is a lesson plan that is important as it will help planning the lesson and help keep the class on track for the following lesson. A strong effective instructional plan is essential to the overall development of the student as it can either have positive or negative effects on their confidence in their learning abilities. If a student is constantly behind in a lesson, they will slowly lose motivation and will become further behind. If a student is always ahead in lessons, they will feel as if what they are doing is always going to be enough to succeed and by doing so may never learn how to improve when faced with the material they do not understand. I believe that a teacher must find a good balance between both students in both situations. I believe this situation can be accomplished by paring students from both spectrums with each other. By doing so the student that understands can help explain the lesson and by doing so will gain skills on how to study, for if they find themselves not understanding something. This method will help the student that is behind by there always having someone to help explain the lesson when the teacher might be helping other students. I believe that every student can learn if given the right tools to succeed. It is the teacher’s job to make those tools available to the student and through this method, I believe the student will gain an understanding of how they learn and will help build confidence in themselves as students and how they best learn.