TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Dana Davis
I believe that
Each student is unique and therefore deserves a unique education tailored to his or
her own strengths and needs.
As a teacher, it is my duty to both challenge and support students according to their strengths and
needs to help them reach their full potential. I pre-assess students to gauge the instruction they
need and I modify lessons and assignments accordingly. I engage in various formative
assessments, providing multiple opportunities for students to communicate their knowledge and
demonstrate their understanding. And finally, I create summative assessments that are
considerate of individual strengths and needs.
Students learn best when provided the opportunity to explore, discover, discuss and
practice skills in authentic situations.
Students are naturally curious. They are filled with wonder and intrigue about the world around
them. Education is not the distribution of content knowledge from teacher to student, but rather
a journey of learning through the process of exploration. My instructional methods allow
students to be active contributors in the classroom and take responsibility for their own learning.
Hands-on, authentic activities and meaningful classroom discussion are essential pieces of
student exploration. There are two elements that I believe are conducive to effective student
exploration, (1) the teacher acting as a guide, and (2) allowing the child's natural curiosity to
direct his/her learning. When the teacher's role is to guide, providing access to information
rather than acting as the primary source of information, the students' search for knowledge is met
as they learn to find answers to their questions. For students to construct knowledge, they need
the opportunity to discover for themselves and practice skills in authentic situations. Providing
students access to hands-on activities and allowing adequate time and space to use materials that
reinforce the lesson being studied creates an opportunity for individual discovery and
construction of knowledge to occur.
Engaging students in developmentally appropriate, meaningful tasks and providing
a safe, caring, and respectful environment is essential to effective classroom
management.
Students need a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature
emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. By tailoring each lesson and assignment to
students individual strengths and needs, providing rich activities that are meaningful and
relevant to students lives and interests, and allowing students to generate ideas and set goals for
themselves, their work will have purpose. When students take responsibility for their own

learning, boredom and frustration are alleviated and thus, there is less off-task behavior.
Developing a curriculum around student interests fosters intrinsic motivation and stimulates the
passion to learn.
Optimism and encouragement are powerful.
Students thrive in a positive atmosphere. Through an open sharing of ideas, students develop a
deep love and respect for themselves, others, and their environment. When the voice of each
student is heard, an environment evolves where students feel free to express themselves. It is
crucial that each student is publically recognized for their contributions and strengths. Providing
credibility and praise within the classroom, makes the classroom a safe place where students are
comfortable taking risks, often leading to brilliant discoveries.
A teacher must always be a student.
Teaching is a commitment to lifelong learning. My hope as an educator is to instill my love of
learning in my students, as I share my passion for learning share with them. The classroom
should be an exciting environment where my students and I both feel comfortable to try and
adapt new ideas. Through professional memberships and relationships with veteran teachers, I
strive to collect ideas and increase my content and pedagogical knowledge. Most importantly,
through student feedback and personal reflection, I aim to revise my teaching practice regularly.
I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and dedicated individuals who are excited about
working with children and who is aware of and sensitive to their individual needs. I am such a
person and will always strive to be the best educator that I can be.