My Philosophy
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My beliefs on how students learn best consist of hands on and discussion based classes. This gets students involved and active throughout class. The psychologist, Vygotsky, believed that children learn from social interactions which directly relates to Progressivism. It is easy to see the difference in a class that has hands-on activities from one that does not. Students, who sit in their desk all class, soon become unfocused and lose interest in the information that is being conveyed to them. While students who get up out of their seats, to work in partners or small groups are much more focused and interested in the information they are learning. Also, when students are engaged in class discussions, the fear of being called-out in front of the class is eased. This in return contributes to more class participation.
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Motivation to learn is experiencing conflict with what one knows, which causes an imbalance, which triggers a quest to restore the balance. Piaget described intelligent behavior as adaptation. The learner organizes his or her understanding in organized structures. At the simplest level, these are called schemes. When something new is presented, the learner must modify these structures in order to deal with the new information. This process, called equilibration, which is the balancing between what is assimilated (the new) and accommodation, the change in structure. The student goes through four distinct stages or levels in his or her understandings of the world.
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In John Dewey's philosophy, loving and creating surpass mere knowing. Dewey insisted that wisdom is not systematic and proved knowledge of fact and truth, but a conviction about moral values. This shows how teachers need to show that every student has value and worth in the classroom. It also shows that by creating a bond with the student will ultimately give them motivation to succeed in the classroom.
Overall, my personal philosophy is
one of a hands-on approach. I believe
active learning sinks in, while a lecture goes in one in and out the
other. Group projects present more of a
real-world setting as students are working as a team. Socialization and interaction are key factors
in student development. Thus, I plan to incorporate
hands-on and discussion based classes regularly.
Diversity in the Classroom
Diversity in the classroom comes in many different forms. From appearance to knowledge level, there will always be diversity. Many teacher like to keep differences "under wraps," but I like to encourage my students to share about their backgrounds if they feel comfortable enough. My diversity statement is simple and it is derived form this:
I believe in all of my students and empower them to chase their dreams to be the best that they can be. I create a positive, safe, and relaxed environment in my classroom so all of my student can reach their highest potential. This leads to how I advocate for my students in their educational path. I proudly stand behind my students to encourage them and help them receive the care, tools, and accommodations they need to be successful.