My Philosophy on Teaching

Victoria Ernst
Rider University

My Philosophy on Teaching
In my opinion, a life well lived is characterized by an individuals ability to make
a lasting difference in the lives of others. This has been my lifelong philosophy, and it
has guided my lifes decisions regarding how I communicate, behave and interact with
other people. However, I still believe that it takes more than raw skills and good
intentions to make a significant difference to others especially teaching the younger
generations. As such, I have strived hard over the years to get a good education so as to
apply the acquired knowledge in different situations. I believe that a combination of
these attributes further facilitates my ability to truly make a difference in others. It is
with these undertones that I intend to pursue my career objective of becoming an
excellent teacher. I hope that this brief description of my ambitions and experiences will
help you see my worth as an aspiring candidate for this position in your prestigious
institution.
My determination to succeed and my desire to influence others positively through
my career are among the core attributes that define me as a person. Academically, I have
always been a well average student. Over the years, I have realized that learning is a
process that is full of challenges and uncertainties. This perspective will help me perform
my duties as a teacher more effectively. This is attributed to the fact that I understand and
have experienced firsthand the psychological, social and mental challenges that affect
students at different stages in the learning process.
Margaret E. Sangster, the 19th century American author, stated; No one should
teach who is not in love with teaching. She would definitely approve of my choice to go
into a career in education. I love to learn new knowledge and pass it along to the children
that may once be someone who I am today. There is something palpable that can be seen
in a students expression when a concept has impacted them and taken root. That
moment in particular is what I love about teaching, but it takes work to create the
classroom environment and learning plan that leads to it. After many years of working as
an Educational Assistant, I have found that teaching in the classroom is where I need to
be. I spent many nights and weekend thinking of different learning strategies and any
new information that will help my students during their learning process. I take pride in
being a major bridge to the world for students. With my background in School
Counseling, I feel I am well equipped to guide them across that bridge, to facilitate
excitement about lifelong learning as well as to bring out the best in students with regard
to formal learning objectives.
As a future teacher, I have found that my first task when becoming a teacher is
motivation. This occurs on both an individual and a collective level in the classroom.
Motivation is often catching, and therefore by using techniques that inspire some in the
class, many are likely to be drawn in. Collaborative and cooperative group work has
been one method, which can often lead to the desired outcome. One strategy that has
worked well in my classroom in bringing out an additional level of interest and
participation in the classroom is making the content personal through exercises that
request students to apply various scenarios or information to their own lives. Another
strategy is using consultation and consensus as the basis for decisions made as a class,
including directions or format for presentation of some content. This has included

decisions such as whether to use non-traditional media to support classroom material,

scheduling of quizzes and other matters of classroom administration.
My education has been in the area of counseling; however I have found that my
talents lie in the classroom, engaging with students on content. Teachers today have a
challenging position in society with many expectations. Social, behavioral and other
complicated issues can have a negative impact on a students readiness to learn and that
student can have a negative impact on the classroom environment. My background in
counseling has given me added skills that aid in the classroom. The same techniques that
are used to prevent problems, aid in conflicts and reduce tensions can be used to support
a healthy classroom environment for learners to become involved in the content of the
curriculum.
My future goals in the teaching career is wanting to that teacher who is
remembered by many students as an important coach in learning, but I also plan to excel
because of my own interest in lifelong learning. I stay current with regard to research
and technological developments. I enjoy professional development opportunities, which
allow me to share my experiences as well as to learn from the experiences from others. I
enjoy working as a team with other teachers and professionals in the educational
environment.
Conclusively, I believe that a good teacher should never be comfortable with the
little achievements that have been made. Instead, it is important to strive hard to improve
ones efficiency. As such, I will always reflect on all my lessons and constantly evaluate
my strengths and weaknesses. In so doing, I believe that I will grow professionally and
my students will have seamless transitions as they progress through lifes challenges
academically, socially, and emotionally. Each challenge and victory that I record will be
viewed as a learning experience. Through it all, fairness, honesty and compassion will be
my guiding principles as I help my students realize the best of their potential in their
learning process.