Running Header: My Philosophy of Teaching

My Philosophy of Teaching
Emily K. Johnston
Westminster Choir College
Fall 2011
My Philosophy of Teaching: 1
I have a hunch that teachers never really liked me as a student. I was always the one asking
questions, poking holes in arguments, and being skeptical. If a teacher did not seem entirely
knowledgeable in a subject, I wrote him or her off as incompetent. In high school, I had a Spanish
teacher who was the soccer coach, and had only taught in a classroom once or twice. Instead of
giving us lessons or teaching us verb forms, he had us watch the Tour of Spain bike race. This
would have been interesting if we had related it to course material or even talked about Spanish
while watching, but that was not the case. On the rare days during which he actually taught
Spanish, he was unable to answer the many questions that the class had. My teacher was not
teaching me the course material, and did not even seem to know it himself, so I did not respect him,
nor was I open to his methods. I believe that it is important for teachers to know their subject
matter entirely inside and out in order to be respected by their students and in order for learning to
occur.
I have always had a fairly logical mind. I learn best by forming connections and figuring
things out on my own. I like to think quietly and see for myself what works and what does not. I
like learning in a very specific way. However, many of my classmates learn best by lecture, others
learn by finding meaning in what it is they are being taught, and still many more learn by doing
hands-on activities. I believe that it is important for teachers to realize that not all students come by
knowledge the same way, and to ensure that they use a multitude of teaching methods so that all of
their students get an opportunity to learn.
I have experienced many different types of teaching in my education thus far. I have had
teachers who always taught by lecture, teachers who made us do an exorbitant amount of group
My Philosophy of Teaching: 2
work, teachers who taught things that were relevant to my life, teachers who believed that they
were right even when they were wrong, teachers who really made me think about myself and the
world, teachers who ignored anything the students had to say, and many other sorts of teachers.
Through all of these, I am able to make a decision about my own classroom. I believe that it is
important for teachers to respect and listen to their students, and to teach what matters to them.
Know the Subject
If there is one thing students notice right away about teachers, it is confidence and legitimacy.
Students often judge a teacher by the very first lesson, and can harbor those initial judgements for a
long time, despite any efforts on the part of the teacher to change those judgements. If a teacher
wants respect from the class, it is important that the students view him as a legitimate source. This
concept is similar to that of political legitimacy, which according to Coicaud (2002) means that the
right to govern is derived from the consent of the governed (10). Similarly, if the students are not
convinced of the teachers knowledge and legitimacy, they will not be open to learning from him.
Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that teachers know the course material of their subjects
completely before attempting to teach them. Simpson, Jackson and Aycock (2005) agree,
suggesting, Indeed, we probably would not even know what educating a person really entails if
we have never studied the topic (5). They believe that not only will the students not be learning,
but that the teacher will not be engaging in actual education. As a student myself, I can say that
students in general have a much greater respect for and open-mindedness toward teachers that
demonstrate total knowledge of what it is they are trying to teach. If teachers in general were to go
My Philosophy of Teaching: 3
back and learn more about the topics they are teaching, their students would respond with respect
and an eagerness for learning.
Teach to Everyone
No two people are the same, and no two people learn the exact same way. A teaching style that
works for one student may have another student completely confused, or bored out of her mind.
There are four categories of learning types as laid out by McCarthy (2000). Type I learners are
imaginative, feeling and seek meaning in learning. Their favorite question is Why? Type II
learners are analytical and seek legitimacy and experts. They like to ask, What? Type III learners
are logical and like to experiment, think, and do. They ask, How? Type IV learners explore and
learn by trial and error. Their question is often What If? These four types of learning are present
in any classroom, and it is important for any lesson to cater to all of them. Not all students can learn
simply from lecture alone. If teachers do not acknowledge and respect the different learning styles
of their students, they cannot hope to achieve learning. Some teachers teach the same way for every
class, and then wonder why only some students are succeeding, while others are not grasping the
material. This is due to the fact that their style of teaching only applies to certain students. I believe
that static teachers need to first realize that they are not progressing, and then do something to
encourage learning in all types of students. It is an unfortunate and ignorant mindset that leads
teachers to blame their students for not learning, when in fact it is the teaching that needs to morph
and grow to fit the students needs. Knowledge changes constantly, and so teaching should reflect
that. Simpson et al (2005) posit that there are far too many people in various walks of life who
My Philosophy of Teaching: 4
think they have already discovered the panacea for perfect pedagogy and, consequently, set us
farther back than they move us forward (9). These teachers have not discovered perfection; they
have become lazy and contented to continue teaching in a way that does not facilitate learning for
all. Abrahams (1997; 2007) philosophy of teaching views teaching, in tandem with learning, as a
partnership with students that supports diversity of learning styles and honors individual aptitudes
and potentials. This commitment to the entire classroom of students, and the teachers ability to
change and adapt, is something that is vital for a healthy learning environment.
Make it Matter
One of the most important pieces of my philosophy of teaching is the need to honor the world of
the students. An unfortunate reality in schools today is that the majority of subject matter simply is
not interesting to most students. Dewey (1897) states, The true centre of correlation of the school
subjects is not science, nor literature, nor history, nor geography, but the childs own social
activities. This directly relates to Critical Pedagogy, which dictates that educators should be aware
of and attuned to the students lives outside of school, not just for the few hours a week that they
are seated in the classroom. Subject matter that is presented in a way that is interesting to students
is much more likely to be absorbed and retained. It is also much more likely that the students will
enjoy the class more, and therefore pay attention. In my opinion, it is highly necessary that the
subject matter relate in some way to the lives of students outside of the classroom. It is not so
important that students be able to regurgitate facts and dates. As Dewey (1897) states in his
Pedagogic Creed, Educationis a process of living and not a preparation for future living. So, as
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teachers, I believe that we should ensure that we are teaching what is relevant to the students.
Conclusion
The Spanish teacher I mentioned in the introduction did not demonstrate knowledge of his subject
matter. He did not teach to all of the different learning styles, and he certainly did not teach what
was interesting to usafter all, what high school sophomore girl watches the Tour of Spain for
fun? I did not learn very much from him. That is not to say that he didnt attempt to teach me, but
that he just did not teach in a way that facilitated good learning. In my future classroom, I will not
be like my high school Spanish teacher. I will do everything in my power to ensure that my
students respect me and value me as a source of knowledge, and conversely, I will respect and
value them.