It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words.  My personal philosophy of education can be portrayed through this picture.  Above all the math I could ever teach, I feel that my number one job is to motivate, guide, and make learning fun. It is my belief that, no matter the subject, students cannot be taught if they not motivated to learn, if they are not guided down a path of intellectual capabilities, and if they don't find learning fun.  It is my number one priority to meet these fundamental basic steps in making a student’s mind happy.

A teacher should act as a guide, pointing students in the direction they should go to find answers and solve problems, by providing them with the essential information they need to do so.  Being a teacher is being a role model for youth.  Many children do not have positive role models to look up to.  Difficult situations outside of the school classroom can play havoc on the development of a child’s self esteem and abilities.  As a teacher, I feel I can be influential in helping students reach their potential by giving them encouragement, direction, and helpful information about bettering themselves.

Any sort of teaching also carries on the duty of teaching the student how to learn.  Learning is, of course, the main purpose of education.  It is the goal of every student and the task of every teacher to increase knowledge and understanding in the classroom.  However, information is nothing more than useless symbols until it is processed and understood by thinking mind.  Thinking is a process that must be practiced through hands-on demonstrations, role-playing, simulations through technology, team learning, as well as some traditional direct instruction until the mind becomes dynamic and flexible enough to handle any problem that might come along.  By giving the students the right “tools,” they learn to be successful on their own.  It is more important to me to provide useful information and to give students the skills they need to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and that they will be able to apply in real world situations.

I feel that the concept of learning should be focused around four main ideas. 1) Independent thought is essential to the development of each student.  Being able to form unique independent ideas to solve problems will serve them both in and outside the classroom.  2) Group interaction is an important part of learning. Being able to share ideas, validate them with those of others, and teamwork are important processes in social and mental development.  3) The teacher should be prepared to lead students in the direction they should go to reach correct conclusions and answers, without always providing the answers themselves.  And finally, 4) stressing the use of learned ideas and processes in new situations are essential.  By using information, students should be able to apply what they have learned to new life or learning situations.  Transfer of this sort is what really determines what has been learned.

Mastery of information has always been the goal for teachers, and should continue to be one of the essential goals.  In addition, however, long term goals for students should be set, allowing students to work towards goals over time.  As a part of this, intellectual development of each student should continue over time, allowing students to use what they are learning later in life.  It is the hope of every teacher that students will develop an interest and appreciation in the subject area being taught.  This can easily be accomplished by making learning as enjoyable and beneficial as possible for students so that it doesn’t feel like a “chore.”  Learning should come from the discovery of wanting to learn more.  Because of this, the methods in which I deem most effective are guided discovery, the use of technology, and “learning by doing.”   I will avoid direct instruction as much as possible.

When it comes to the classroom of my subject area, mathematics, I am prepared to go at infinite lengths to meet the intellectual needs of my students. I intend to, not only guide my students down the many paths of self-worth and motivation, but I also intend to guide my students down the many paths of the wonderful world of mathematics.  My teaching methods of mathematics are influenced by what will impact my students the most. Becoming a teacher is important to me, and has been my number one dream for so long, because being a part of the education profession encompasses the qualities and ideals that I value.
 
 
 

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