Emily Rohwer

My Philosophy of Education
Throughout my time in the Hope College education program my beliefs about the
purpose of education and my role as an educator have been molded and shaped by the
experiences I have had learning and teaching. I have come to strongly believe that the
purpose of education is to provide a positive and passionate learning environment in
which students know that (1) they have the ability to be successful, (2) taking risks and
making mistakes is okay, and (3) they have worth and value as a person not only as a
student. My role as a teacher is to create and maintain this environment in my
classroom, to guide students as they learn, to encourage students as they discover their
strengths and weaknesses, to convey positivity and enthusiasm for what I teach, and to
go above and beyond to meet the needs of struggling students.
One essential part of my philosophy is a child-centered approach to both how I
view and teach my students. As a special education teacher I will have a very diverse
range of students with whom I will be working. Even though students are labeled with a
disability, they are still individuals and no two students with the same disability are
exactly alike. I will not have a typical student in my classroom each and every one
will be unique in their personalities, needs, interests, struggles, and talents. As a
teacher, I strive to take all of these things into account, in order to work with my students
on their weaknesses while also emphasizing and building on their strengths. This is
especially important to me because often students in special education feel that they
cant do well in school, because so much emphasis is placed on their weaknesses. My
job as a teacher is to help my students feel like success is possible.
The foundation of my classroom management is the use of procedures and
clearly stated expectations to give students the tools to make the right choices for how
to behave in the classroom. These procedures will be set in place from the very first day
of school and will guide and facilitate every part of the school day. I will take time at the
beginning of the school year to teach, model, and repeatedly practice procedures with
my students until the classroom is running efficiently. Having an everyday routine is
important to me because it is something that is critical for many students to feel like they
are in a safe environment. In my classroom, every possible minute of the day is spent
wisely and productively. Students always know what they are expected to do because
they have been told directions visually, verbally, and through my example and modeling.
The kind of climate built in my classroom will be one of respect, kindness, and
positivity. My classroom is a community of learners who respect and learn from each
other. It is a safe environment where students know they can make mistakes but also
know that it is a place where they can be successful. In order for learning to take place,
positive relationships must be formed. There will be an emphasis on building teacherstudent and peer relationships. This includes calling students by their names with
frequency, playing community-building games, modeling respect and kindness in my
interactions with others, and by explicitly teaching social skills to my students. Many
special education students struggle with forming positive relationships, but it is so
important to respond to the social issues of students and teach them problem-solving
tools. Often, it is only after these social problems are addressed that learning can take
place.

Behavior problems will be addressed with the use of self-reflective questions.

Giving students the opportunity to reflect on their choices why it was a good or poor
choice as well as what they can do better next time is extremely valuable. Working
together, we will come up with a plan for how he or she will behave appropriately in the
future. As a teacher, my job is to work together with the student to teach them the skills
needed to change their behavior and to create conditions in the classroom to facilitate
success. This collaborative problem-solving approach is an integral part of my behavior
management system.
If you were to walk into my classroom on any given day, you would observe the
frequent use of small groups and activity centers throughout the day. Students need
opportunities to learn how to work well with others and to get support from each other in
their learning. They will have many opportunities to work with others and to problem
solve together, as I provide guidance and support when needed. This support will come
in the form of modeling, setting and communicating clear expectations, building on prior
knowledge, and helping them to make connections. This scaffolding is necessary to
support struggling students. I will also make modifications and accommodations
whenever necessary. Instruction will come in a variety of forms visually, verbally, and
in the form of hands on activities. Technology will often be incorporated into lessons
and will be used frequently as a way to accommodate students with learning disabilities
in reading and writing.
I will also meet the individual needs of my students through the frequent use of
differentiation. I will tailor my instruction to address students needs and to challenge
them in their areas of strength. I will use ongoing assessment of my students to adapt
my teaching and best meet the student at their level. As someone in the field of special
education, I feel that differentiation informed by ongoing assessment is crucial to the
success of the population I will be teaching. Formative assessment such as asking
students questions, observations of students, and self or peer assessment by students
will guide my instruction. Summative assessments will include student choice as much
as possible. Students will be able to choose from a variety of options that will work best
for their learning style - such as making a board game, creating a collage or a video, or
performing a skit. This element of choice will increase the motivation of my students and
will allow them to show what they have learned in a way that suits their personal
learning style and their strengths.
I am passionate about creating an environment in my classroom that is
welcoming, positive, and where students can feel comfortable taking risks in their
learning. Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus says it best: take chances, make
mistakes, get messy! Everything about my classroom including my instructional
methods, classroom management, and use of assessment will contribute to this climate.
My goal is to reach the students who have previously not enjoyed school or have
thought they were not good students that they will know they are significant and
have worth and value as a person, they will believe they are capable of success, and for
them to love learning in my classroom.