My Teaching Philosophy

Hey there,

So it's been a while. I've been wrapped in family life and finishing commissions so I haven't thought to finish any blog posts. But, this topic has me motivated.

I am considering applying for a college level supervising position, supervising college students while they are in their student teaching internships. WOW. Never thought of myself as "that" person sitting in the back of the room writing feverishly about every movement the student teacher is making. But now that I am considering applying for this position I am forced to put into concise thoughts WHAT IS MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY. It's taking a lot of my energy to not have a snarky remark. It's not that I don't think there is such a thing as a teaching philosophy, I just think it's reeeeaaaallly hard to put into words the philosophy that governs my teaching practice. It encompasses so so so so much.

Here is my unprofessional surviving teaching philosophy:

Figure out how you like to drink coffee. Lock up your valuables. Expose that you are human. Expose that you care. Actually care. Be there, be present and aware of what is happening in your room. And in the halls outside of your room. And what happens when kids go home. If you don't live in the town where you teach, make a point to go to the restaurants, buy groceries, drive through the town, walk through the parks in that town, on saturdays. Go to the school's sporting events once in a while.

In the classroom, take responsibility for your own mistakes, especially if you want to be able to hold the students accountable for theirs. Hold people accountable for the good and the bad. Get mad. Laugh. Reflect on yourself - are you crazy for using XACTO knives in a class of 32 9th graders?? Keep in mind that when you subconsciously hold limitations for your students they ACTUALLY CAN TELL that you don't believe in them. Set your expectations and expect the students to achieve those expectations... and they will. It might not happen before the test, or before they leave your class, but they'll go where you take them. If you believe they can do it you are fostering a confidence in them that will let them give themselves permission to try. Reframe limits as choices. Find colleagues to eat lunch with everyday. And who bring treats. Get out of your room! Go to the bathroom when you need to go. Be kind. Give opportunities for growth.

If anyone is actually reading this - sometimes I think I know what I'm talking about and sometimes I write like I have no idea what I'm talking about. You can decide which one i just demonstrated. Having a teaching philosophy is not a normal question to ask someone unless you want to get into a few hours long conversation. It might just be easier to ask "cream, sugar or black" when you get them a coffee.