My Personal Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy Teachers have been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember. Different individuals have shown me so much in a variety of capacities: some worked in a classroom, some coached me outside of it, and some individuals have simply been a model for how to live a rich life. I consider them all teachers. My decision to become a teacher is founded in the idea that it is one of the most direct ways to influence young people. I believe that students do look upon teachers as role models, sometimes even as they pledge dislike for teachers to their classmates. I have already been working with youth of various ages for several years in the capacity as a tennis coach. I thoroughly enjoy participating in the development of each student’s quest to improve. One of the shining moments of the job is when a student has successfully attained a skill that has been difficult for them. Instantly they understand that effort and intellect have combined to bring them success, a model they can follow far beyond the court. That experience is something that I intend to bring to a classroom and a school system in general, combining the personal growth of a student with the ability to improve one’s grasp of subject matter. For a student to achieve genuine personal growth is not always a simple process, nor is it for any individual, including myself. It is one that I expect will be more difficult when I am not dealing with a student alone or in a small group but with a class of twenty or more students. It is important to both challenge the actively involved student and to draw in the shy or disinterested one. Especially as an English teacher, I feel that it is important to make myself relatable to students early in the year. That being said, it is also important to establish a certain bar of expectation right away. This is a delicate balance as students who look at a teacher (particularly a young one) too personally are likely to attempt to take advantage of the bond. Meanwhile, students are given very little incentive to work hard when the teacher comes across as uncaring or highly authoritarian.