| Educational Philosophy | ||||||
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As I prepare to become a teacher, I have begun to develop a personal philosophy of education that I plan to carry with me into the classroom. I believe it is a teacher's responsibility to reach every child. I recognize that not all children learn the same way, but a good teacher should anticipate that and vary his or her teaching methods accordingly. He or she should incorporate the use of all five senses and encourage students to ask questions and actively participate. Teachers need to persuade their students to be active rather than passive learners. I also believe that a classroom should be a community. The students and teacher should work together towards a common goal of growth and achievement. Every member of the community has an important role within it; and therefore each person should be recognized and respected for their individual strengths and talents, as well as their ability to contribute to the advancement of the community. The classroom community itself is also part of a larger community - the world community. We are living in a global society; the world today seems smaller than ever thanks to the prevalence of technology and all the advances it has made possible. Most school-age students can't remember a world without the Internet or iPods. Yet, in general, educators have been slow to embrace technology and examine what role it could play in the classroom. I believe this hesitancy is due to unfamiliarity. If proper training for integrating technology into the classroom were more widespread, schools across the country would take a huge step forward. Instead of force-feeding curriculum to students through outdated textbooks, teachers could use technology to make subjects come alive by playing into each student's individual learning style. Visual learners could use programs such as Inspiration to map out concepts. Those who learn better through audio could listen to podcasts of famous speeches, for example, instead of reading them. Programs such as Webquests can challenge students to think independently and develop a variety of critical skills. When technology is properly integrated into the classroom as a tool that "adds value," the benefits are clear. If nothing else, teaching with technology will help prepare our students for an ever-changing world. |
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