My philosophy of teaching

1. {My Philosophy of Teaching
By Emily Lohse

2. I believe that every student has the potential to learn,
though not every student will learn in the same way
or at the same pace. “Yet” is a powerful word, and
one that I use often to recognize the potential in each
and every one of my students. As someone who has
been studying the importance of language and
literacy, I believe that the words I use regarding my
students – and the words they use about themselves
– really can make a difference in their self-efficacy.
When my students tell me they “can’t” do
something, I correct them to say, “I can do it, just not
yet,” and reinforce that they are still learning and
improving.
The Power of “Yet”

3. One of the primary expectations I have for my
students is that they put their best effort into each
day and make an attempt even when they feel
challenged. I will never give up on my students, but
in return they cannot give up on themselves, either.
This is an idea that has recently become very
important to me after working with an ESL student.
She was always eager to listen and answer questions
aloud in class, but when it came to written work that
she felt would be difficult, she had a tendency to
completely shut down and refuse to even try. I would
rather see a student try his or her hardest and get
every answer wrong than give up completely and
refuse my help, because without the student’s
involvement, progress is not possible.
A Teacher-Student Team

4. As a teacher it is my job to get to know each of my students so
that I can differentiate my instruction in ways that utilize their
strengths while accommodating for their needs. Differentiation is
more than just showing videos in class along with notes. In my
classroom, differentiation will mean tailoring both what I teach
and how I teach it, as well as the ways in which my students can
show me that they’ve learned. For example, in a social studies
unit on South American countries, I would allow my student who
loves fashion to write a magazine article comparing and
contrasting South American and North American clothing, while
an athletic student may choose to create a video demonstration of
a traditional South American sport. In a classroom community of
learners, the students can be proud of what they have
accomplished as they teach and learn from one another.
Differentiation is Key

5. My role as a teacher is to be a facilitator of learning. I
want my classroom to be a forum for student
discussion, rather than a platform for me to feed my
students information. To make this happen, I will
pose open-ended questions rather than questions
with one specific answer. For example, instead of
asking rote memory questions about a book we have
read, I would ask something more along the lines of,
“If you were the main character, what would you
have done differently?” This type of question will
elicit a number of responses and give students an
opportunity to make connections and demonstrate
their thinking about a text.
A Classroom Forum

6. When it comes to assessment, I want to give my students a
variety of opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and
skills. Although standardized testing has become the norm, I
want to utilize authentic tasks and project-based assessment in
my classroom. For example, rather than give students multiple
choice questions after they read a poem, I will ask students to
show me they’ve understood the poem by responding to it in a
way that makes sense to them – whether it be in writing, through
art or photography, with music, or in any other form. Technology
will be a useful assessment tool because it gives students further
means of expressing what they know or can do. I will encourage
my students to use technology platforms such as Glogster or
Mindomo to showcase their knowledge and illustrate their
thinking.
Project-Based Assessment

7. Through my own experiences, I have noticed that
many people - teachers and students alike, and
admittedly myself as well - are afraid of being wrong.
My classroom will be a place where mistakes are both
acceptable and encouraged. I will teach my students
to view errors as learning opportunities, and to take
ownership of their mistakes so they can grow from
them. If I make a mistake in front of my students, I
will point out my own mistake and explain what it
taught me. When my students see that even their
teacher can be wrong, they will feel less pressure to
be perfect. I will create a safe and supportive
environment in my classroom where students feel
confident to take risks without the fear of failure.
Mistakes are Good!

8. Above all, my role as a teacher is to foster a love of
learning in each child who passes through my
classroom. Students in elementary school are at an
impressionable age, and it is vital that I as a teacher
instill in these children a love for learning that will
grow over time. My own love and enthusiasm for
learning will shine through my teaching and be
infectious. I want my students to leave my classroom
feeling proud and accomplished, and look forward to
what the next day in class will bring.
A Love of Learning