Chad

__** // Philosophy of Teaching // **__ // Chad M. White //

 In a word association game, typical responses to teacher would be apples, grades, homework, tests, and notes. We were all students at one point and during that time period these are the terms that became synonymous with teachers. Yet teaching is so much more than requiring students to copy notes, assessing them by giving a test, and applying a letter grade to each student’s performance. If this was all we accomplished as teachers than we would have failed as educators. It is my belief that a teacher should work to instill the knowledge, skills, values, and beliefs that will make each student a valued citizen.  After reflecting on my experiences in school I immediately attribute my inspiration to enter the field of education to my seventh grade social studies teacher. He was a major influence towards instilling each of those important attributes into my development as a person. As I progressed through school, the idea of becoming a teacher continued to grow. By eleventh grade I was involved in a program where high school students had the opportunity to work as a teacher’s assistant in a kindergarten or first grade classroom. Having this opportunity brought me full circle to what I had experienced during seventh grade but on the opposite side of the fence. During this time I learned that fostering the learning of a student can be one of the most rewarding gifts in life. I finally understood why my social studies teacher enjoyed teaching so much and it solidified my desire to become a teacher.  My teaching style is one that incorporates many different techniques and methods. I had so many wonderful teachers that all had unique characteristics. There were teachers that used humor, engaging discussions, media, fun review games and so many other innovative teaching techniques and methods. My goal in developing my teaching style is to use as many of those techniques and methods as humanly possible. Our population of students is so diverse in today’s world and each one enters the classroom with varying learning styles. Therefore as educators it is our job to touch upon each of those learning styles. Going the extra mile to diversify our teaching styles will go a long way in reaching as many of our diverse students as possible.  The strength of my teaching style does not end with touching upon each of the student’s learning styles. As an educator I try my hardest to create an environment in which each of my students can feel safe and accepted. Our students’ diversity does not simply lie in their learning styles. They are entering the classroom from many different backgrounds. The students face so much adversity in other parts of their lives that they do not need another environment in which they experience the same. By creating an open and safe culture in the classroom it allows for all students to thrive in receiving an education.  Understanding our goals as educators is more important now than ever before. Due to the rapid advancement of technology we are essentially educating students for jobs that have not even been created. By developing the student as a whole we are not just teaching a person to answer questions correctly on a test. We are giving them the skills and knowledge to become critical thinkers in a world that requires just that. By developing an accepting learning environment we are teaching students the values and beliefs that will allow them to thrive in a world that shows them so much adversity. It is my belief that as a teacher I need to go the extra mile to instill the knowledge, skills, values, and beliefs that will develop my students into valuable citizens.

__**Educational Framework**__ __The Roots__

**Experience -** My TEA (Teacher education associate) during my student teaching always referred to the number of minutes it took to become an experienced teacher. It added up to be 5 years of teaching if I remember correctly. Even then, she said we would never be a master teacher, we would always learn from previous experiences and adapt our educational beliefs. The most knowledgeable person to determine what should be taking place in their classroom is the teacher. They know the students, the school, the community (or they should). Therefore many educational decisions need to be left to the teacher. Self reflection plays a major role in doing so. **Educational Resources** - A synonym for educators could easily be borrowers. Educators are always borrowing ideas, lesson plans, materials, etc. With technology there are so many educational resources available to educators. There are the traditional textbooks, articles, videos, and prepared materials. Not only does technology make these traditional materials more accessible but there seems to be a limitless amount of materials that teachers can acquire off of the internet. These resources have the potential to shape education in way that previously, were never thought possible. The problem is there is so much to sift through and some resources are better than others. This is where research and studies come into play. **Research/Studies**- Science can play a role in shaping education. The technology today has made it possible to understand and research humans like never before. While this should not be the be all end all, it certainly can help guide us in understanding how our students develop. As educators we play a direct role in shaping that development, therefore it is our responsibility to try and understand how our brains work. Studies completed are a major aid in helping teachers find the best of the best. What are the best methods for teaching social studies concepts, what are the best materials for working on a science experiment, what is the best lesson plan for teaching poetry? Studies help teachers answer these questions without doing all of the dirty work to come to the conclusion. **Professional Development -** Just as educators want their students to become life long learners, teachers need to do the same. We can become expert teachers but we will never be perfect. Especially in a time when we have no idea what the educational field will resemble twenty years from now. Technology has changed so much and will continue to do so. Even though teachers have their certification and degree it does not mean they are finished with their own education. Professional development offers educators the chance to learn more about their field and continue to craft their skills and abilities. **Policy** - The rules of education. While educators may not always agree with policies they certainly shape the educational system. **Standards** - We are in the age of accountability and standards play a large role in this. Policy makers have become obsessed with holding teachers accountable for the education they provide students and with good reason, the education system has become a major issue in the country. While this is not entirely the fault of teachers it would be ignorant to state that they do not play a part, we are all responsible. Standards ensures that every educator is on the same page as to what the students are expected to learn. The Common Core Standards which has been adopted by more and more states is important in that it is very open to interpretation. Teachers would be wise to become very familiar with these standards to ensure and provide evidence that their instruction is somehow meeting these standards. **​Standardized Testing** - According to teachers there is very little positives that come out of standardized testing. It is closely related to standards and policy but for those two categories educators feel there are both positive and negatives. While standardized testing is seen as negative by many teachers there is no doubt that it has a significant impact on education. Whether educators teach to the test or teach around the test they are still forming their educational practices based on standardized testing. **Planning -** ​While teaching needs to be responsive, there is a great deal of planning that needs to be done before hand. Teachers must weave together many of the other roots such as the standards, curriculum, policies, and resources to set goals and objectives for what will take place in the classroom.

__Education__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> These roots help shape what our education is and what it will become. Education like the trunk of a tree will continue to grow and change. The roots lead to the trunk (education) branches off into multiple practices.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__The Branches__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__**Environment**__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Community -** There is a need of community on multiple levels. First the school must become a part of the community around it. The school must support the community and the community needs to support the school. Second the school itself must be a community. The administration, teachers, and students must be on the same page and all strive towards the same goals. Third the classroom needs to become a community of learners. The teacher and students must all support each other and learn together. If they are unable to do this then the opportunity for education will not be maximized. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Collaboration -** Part of a school becoming a community is teachers and administrators collaborating. There are so many opportunities for cross curricular experiences and it is imperative that our students see and experience these. Drawing lines and classifying is becoming extremely difficult in the 21st century. Education is more than just teaching students facts, it is preparing students to become valuable citizens. If we are to do this education must mirror the world around us. Therefore students need to experience more collaboration in their classrooms and school. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Freedom -** Students progressing through school by passing through each grade, taking the same classes, and learning the same material is a system that no longer works. We have seen more freedom with AP classes, special, and electives but many of these are only available at affluent schools. This is only the beginning of the shift that our education needs to take. Our students need more freedom in their education to reach their potential. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Differentiated -** The community, school, and classroom need to be conducive to the many different students that populate each of these. If a student is in a wheelchair, their must be room so that each part of the classroom is accessible to them. If a student has poor eye sight, they must have seating that allows them to clearly see what is required of them. Every student should see parts of their culture represented in the school and classroom.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__**Instruction**__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Mulitculturalism -** We are now living in a globalized world. Technology has made it possible for us to connect with others on the opposite side of the world within a matter of seconds. Many of the classrooms in today's school mirror that globalization. There are still schools that lack cultural diversity but eventually those students will encounter a multitude of cultures at some point, whether it is at college, in the work place, or in their community. Whether our students are living the globalization now or later we must prepare them to interact in a society that is globalized. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Challenging -** Standardized testing has become a major road block for our educational system to take a step forward. At one point the traditional schooling that our educational system provided was acceptable. However, in this day and age we are educating our students for jobs that do not exist yet. Students must be challenged to reach higher levels of thinking. Our society and job market demands workers that can think at a higher level and that preparation begins in the classroom. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Authentic** - When the curriculum is authentic and connected to the students' lives, they become more invested in their education. This is especially true for underrepresented students who are often under the impression that education is not meant for them. Authentic learning is worth while for students because they will use it in their everyday lives. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Differentiated -** Differentiating the content and process of instruction is critical to ensuring that each student in the classroom will be working within their zone of proximal development.

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__**Assessment**__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Responsive -** Standardized testing at the end of the year is useless for the students taking the exams. Yes, the score will help them advance to the next grade or stay back for another year. Yet it does nothing for the student's intelligence. A student that scores 70% will pass to the next grade but be missing 30% of the information they should have acquired. Teachers need to assess consistently throughout the year and respond to those assessments. If students do not score well then the teacher needs to provide instruction in order to get them that knowledge. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**​Holistic -** Teachers must assess more than the students' abilities to answer factual information. Instead of basing a student's grade on homework or a final exam at the end of the marking period teachers should instead focus more on assessment strategies such as creating a student portfolio. This allows the teacher to look at a students effort and performance throughout the marking period or even over the course of the year. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Differentiated -** Going along with the need to look at students' performance on a diversity of tasks, teachers must also students the opportunity to work on tasks that fit their zone of proximal development.

Construction of Framework Originally when I created the framework I had a number of ideas and I was having a difficult time organizing them. I realized quickly that there were some differences, some ideas were related to what shapes education and others were ideas of how education should look. Within those general parameters I treated the framework originally as a brainstorming session. I knew there were more categories and subcategories and that over time I would add more to the framework. I still do not feel as if the framework is completed and this is part of the reason why I created a framework that is easy to add onto. However, based on feedback that was given I have organized the framework to include visible categories and subcategories within the original general parameters.
 * Much of the teacher's knowledge that is located in my framework is located under roots. I felt that the teacher's knowledge plays a major role in the shaping of education and specifically how their classroom will look. In terms of teacher knowledge in the learning process and student cognitive development, this is visible in the instructional category underneath the branches. Having instruction that is multicultural, challenging, differentiated, and authentic ensures that teachers are doing their best to provide an equal education to each student in the classroom.
 * Within educational resources, one of the roots for education, I promote the needs for teachers to take advantage of the massive amount of resources that are at our fingertips. In this day and age teachers must borrow and create strategies that will not only differentiate instruction but keep students interested by providing them with diverse opportunities to learn.
 * Differentiated Learning is a subcategory under each of the main branches of education environment, instruction, and assessment. Differentiated learning is not it's own branch of education because it technically is a part of each branch in education. The environment, instruction, and assessment must all be differentiated in order for each student to have a chance to excel.
 * Classroom management is basically another term for the environment branch but by using the term environment it allows the category to become more broad. Community, collaboration, and freedom all directly shape how a teacher should manage a classroom.
 * Grading and assessment is a branch that exists within the framework but is still lacking in the subcategories that exist within it.
 * Higher level thinking, rather than being explicitly stated is part of the challenging subcategory under the instructional branch.
 * The planning process is not represented as much as it should be but would go under The Roots.