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Philosophy
of Teaching
There are a number of beliefs that I have adopted, created, and fused
during my educational experience. Please take into consideration my
following thoughts:
Networking with and
integrating ideas from a variety of individuals and organizations is
essential. It provides a multitude of perspectives and allows one to
choose a more appropriate option regarding curriculum and its delivery.
For example, environmental education (Project WILD) and character
development (Teaching Tolerance) are not “add-ons” to our current
curricula; rather, they are modalities used to present the curricula.
Our method of teaching can ultimately be more important than the
information itself.
Critical thinking
skills are more vital now than they ever have been. As such, students
should be encouraged to self-reflect and examine outside bias as well
as their own. Focus should be placed on the “why” as opposed to the
“what.” This paves the way for creative problem solving and lets
students keep an open mind and personal identity in a “cookie cutter”
society.
Acknowledging and
drawing from prior experiences allows students a greater opportunity to
contribute to their own learning. It is this opportunity that
encourages a connection to the curriculum and internalizes a sense of
self-worth. It also helps ensure one of the most
important
aspects of a classroom environment: a positive student-teacher
relationship.
Lastly, I constantly
keep in mind Robert Maynard Hutchins’s quote - “The object of education
is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.”
This is an overriding goal for my instruction. Life is a continuous
learning process and I wish for my students to understand the necessity
of expanding awareness about themselves and the world around them.
Laurie York
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