Individual Essay
Like almost all of my peers, I became a member of the teaching career with some preconceived notions, to a certain degree based on observations of my professors, both bad and the good, and partly on my judgment of how things should end up like in a perfect world.
Personal Philosophy
Every child having a sense of belonging
As a kid, I've good stories of my experience and education in principal institution. I studies at an all-girls college where corporal consequence was still used to punish disobedient pupils. I recall that my terminology teacher who was also the self-discipline educator was very strict, but I don't forget that I reputed her to a good deal therefore do the majority of my peers. I believed that in ways this had shaped my initial idea about teaching where professors are respected and should maintain an even of control in the class. However, I am glad that people have advanced from corporal abuse as a way to maintain order in our classrooms. You will find many other ways in which the professors can gain their students' respect and keep their classrooms orderly. I believe it's important for me to show genuine look after my pupils through the way I educate and in enough time I devote to my pupils. I believe this kind of caring nature is bound to positively have an effect on the pupils. I really believe it is also important for me to create a positive atmosphere where pupils are encouraged to discuss questions. Pupils should not be afraid of making mistakes as they are cured as opportunities to explore myths and not reflection of their capabilities. School being their second home, it is important that my class room is a location where it is safe for them to make mistakes, a location where variations are tolerated and compromised on.
Common sense and research tell us that students will cooperate with teachers whom they see as nurturing, honest, and respectful (Weinstein, 2006 as cited in Weinstein, Romano, & Mignano, 2011). It's important to develop a supportive and respectful romantic relationship with pupils not and then gain cooperation also for those to be seriously involved in learning, to share their thoughts and emotions, to take risks and to create a sense of sociable responsibility. Thus, I want organise my class so that my pupils will feel safe and cared for psychologically, intellectually and bodily. I remembered performing the Heart-to-heart' program with my pupils within my contract coaching and I find this very helpful in learning the pupils better. Also, pupils were tasked to write at least one journal access weekly on something special. These activities has helped me to learn my pupils better and are a great stepping natural stone to enhance the teacher-student romantic relationship. Thus, I hope to continue to apply them in my own class in the future.
Focus on Students' Strengths
What really causes me to become listed on the teaching job was the every week tuition procedure I volunteered for within my college days and continued even today. Working for a non-profit community organisation provided me the best experience in interpersonal interaction and social skills that I'd have not learnt of. I hoped my encounters and encouragement would help them find a clearer path to their interests in life and work, but I found that I discovered so much from them about bravery, tolerance and ambition to succeed. It is very heart-warming to learn that the males are grateful for the help and support of volunteers and like to take part in learning and games. This provided me a completely new view of life, neighborhoods and education. There's no doubt that I found great satisfaction in writing and stimulating the kids but I had been shocked by how enlightening and rewarding the complete experience was. Thus, I think that it is important for me to build up their full probable by guiding them in their route of discovery. As children are our future, it is very important for me to allow them to express their viewpoints and nurture their own ideas. These reasons validated my decision that teaching was what I wish to do in life.
At times, we have to tap into the life experiences of our own pupils to discover what they can do beyond their academics achievements. As the teacher, I used to concentrate on what my pupils have no idea or cannot do, and try to fix the issues. However, after going right through the teaching experience and programs in NIE, I found that responsible teaching also involves searching for strengths. That is important to build up the self confidence and self-competency of my pupils (Lim, Thaver, & Slee, 2008). I will need to set-up opportunities for pupils to succeed while challenging them. I got told that people need to scaffold for pupils to understand the concept better but little performed I know these small successes will also lead to increased pupils' confidence.
Engaged and Productive Learning
During my agreement coaching stint, I learned that each and every individual scholar in the category experienced a different backdrop and there is a great diversity in there. Each student acquired their particular learning style and talents. Their family backgrounds ranged from lower to the very best tier of culture. I learned that different stakeholders, i. e. parents, school, child and instructor, all play a part in nurturing students. The socio-economic category of students afflicted their capabilities and educational success, and different family structures provided different degrees of support. All these differences made me understand that when performing lessons, I cannot expect all students to have the same activities. Learning is superficial unless the pupils are actively engaged. Therefore, I will need to utilize different coaching strategies in my own category such as questioning, collaborative learning, hands-on activities and experiential learning occurrences that will encourage active and constructive learning.
However, performing a course that actively engages the pupils need a whole lot of planning. Therefore, I have to ensure i am ready by not only knowing the content knowledge but also the teaching aims and strategies. The actions planned will also need to match the principles, skills and goals of the lesson. When pupils are positively engaged, they focus on what is being shown and better process new information (Lorain, 2010). As pointed out by Tom Good and Jere Brophy (2008), when students must wait around with little or nothing to do, there's a higher probability to cause undesirable habit and a lack of valuable learning opportunities (Weinstein, Romano, & Mignano, 2011). Through the many programs in NIE, I have learned how to better make myself for lesson and planning activities that can develop pupils' relational understanding. This program also discusses various cooperative learning strategies such as think-pair-share, rounded stand, and jigsaw which I could apply in my classroom to market lively learning. Also, to ensure that the group activities are carried out successfully, I need to ensure that there are certain classroom guidelines and regimens to keep the classroom running well.
My Development as a Teacher-in-Training
Establishing Productive Learning Environment
One concept trained in this program that struck me most was the model for creating an inclusive learning environment that was designed from Stice's problem-solving model. This model helps me to understand and reaffirm a few of the teaching practices that i have discovered and learned during my teaching internship, pain relief teaching or deal teaching. The model aims to aid school room learning environment that aren't only academically inclusive but also socially.
Creating a conducive physical environment can impact the way educators and students feel, think and respond (Weinstein, Romano, & Mignano, 2011). Thus, it's important for me to ensure that the physical furniture in my school are strategically organized to suit the needs of the pupils. During my contract teaching, my teacher mentor created a reading place at the back of her class with carpets and cushions for the pupils. I find this set up useful in managing the class. After the pupils have completed the given work, they'll check out the reading place with a reserve and read silently. I noticed that this has helped to inculcate in the pupils the love for reading. This also helps her control the class and reduce unneeded disruption when the pupils have completed their work. Occasionally on a rotationally basis, pupils receive ten minutes break time where they can be allowed to use the educational board games created. This encourages pupils' self-directed learning as they explore different concepts in a fun and interactive manner. I've also learned that it's important to ensure that the notice boards are up-to-date with information and pupils work. Environment psychologists point out that the effects of the class environment can be both direct and indirect (Proshansky & Wolfe, 1974 as cited in Weinstein, Romano, & Mignano, 2011). For instance, if pupils seated in right rows are unable to carry on a class discourse because they can't listen to one another, the environment is straight hindering their contribution. Students can also be affected indirectly if indeed they infer from the seating layout that the instructor does not want them to communicate. Therefore, I need to be mindful about how my pupils are set up in the course as it will send a message to them about how precisely they are supposed to behave due to the link between classroom environment and university student behaviour.
Through this course, I also discovered that it's important to make a sense of owed for the pupils by providing them opportunities to make decision how they want the class to be such as giving them the responsibility to enhance the school or as easy as adding pupils work.
Behaviour Management
Another aspect that i find very helpful is the various tendencies management models which professors could employ. I am aware there is no-one size fit all means to fix various problems a instructor might face in school and each model has its own pros and cons. It is therefore up to the teachers' discretion to choose the model that best suit their coaching style and the school profile. Personally, the concept of taking ownership under inner self-control resonates with me. I believe that it is important for students to simply accept ownership of their problem. Students need to learn that they are capable of taking ownership of their problems regardless of age. As instructor, I have to trust that in addition they are capable of taking full responsibility for the issues their behaviours can create, not because of dread but since it is the right thing to do.
Assertive Willpower is a direct and positive method of allow the teacher to teach and the students to learn. Within my contract teaching, there have been times when I felt I was struggling to deliver the lesson properly due to poor class control and rejected pupils the possibility to learn. However, after seeking advice from the older teachers, I made certain changes such as putting into action the rewards and consequence system. As a result, I was able to deliver most of the lessons without much interruption. Students should be rewarded for good behaviour and punished pretty for bad behaviour. I think that having a brief list of class rules uploaded in the school is beneficial. Doing this, from day one, they know about what is expected from them. However, it is necessary to exercise punishments with cautions to make certain students would not become more rebellious. I've also learned the many teaching style and I'd prefer to adopt the democratic teaching style that your teacher provide firm guidance and control by establishing guidelines (Edwards, 2008). Pupils will then be trained how to establish an interior control that allows these to choose behavior appropriate for their finest interest.
I realized that coaching was indeed a getting in touch with. One needed a love to teach and to make a difference in people's lives. One possessed to check out their heart and not their brain to understand the real difference made by being a tutor because being truly a teacher was hard work with many untold roles. One needed to be unafraid to acknowledge that faults have been devoted and constantly reflect on lessons conducted in order to regularly improve.
Bibliography
Edwards, C. (2008). Classroom self-discipline and management (5th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Lim, L. , Thaver, T. , & Slee, R. (2008). Exploring Impairment in Singapore. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).
Lorain, P. (2010). Coaching That Emphasizes Dynamic Proposal. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from Country wide Education Connection: http://www. nea. org/tools/16708. htm
Weinstein, C. S. , Romano, M. E. , & Mignano, J. A. (2011). Elementary School room Management - Lessons from research and practice. NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
