My teaching philosophy lies in enhancing the development of critical thinking in students. I believe that the learning influence originates from the urge to find information about different life concepts. Since humans are naturally curious, it is relatively easy to support learning by guiding them to get answers to their questions. My teaching philosophy lies in the values of rational thinking. I believe in delivering legit information to students and reaching beyond their immediate questions in different subjects. I strive to teach through example and influence students to hunger for information beyond the classroom. Teachers require the development of curiosity to learn from their adult students to control effective learning.
Teaching philosophy
My teaching philosophy banks on some core values, including effective communication, teaching through words and actions, and ultimate honesty. My aim in teaching is developing the urge for students to look for answers by asking questions. I strive to trigger problems to create an environment where students keep searching for solutions for the unknown. It does not matter whether I am in a classroom or outdoor setting; I always avail time for people to ask questions. This way, curiosity guide the learning process in students, and it focuses on the objectives of the curriculum in use (Pratt 16).
Beliefs about adults as learners
I believe that human beings create challenging situations in their daily lives, problems that need the employment of rational thinking to find viable solutions to counter the challenges (Rogers and Horrocks 5). I also believe that learning is a continuous process that is guided by environmental factors. For instance, companies employ learned people, but in their respective careers, they have to keep learning new ways to go around challenges in their work. Natural learning is also a constant system in active minds, and it goes on from childhood through to adulthood. I believe education should be an integral part of society. This form of learning should focus on developing unique relationships between the teacher and students because, unlike teaching children, adults have the knowledge of their specific learning objectives (“What is adult education?” par. 3). My teaching policy on children incorporates giving students detailed dreams about what they should look forward to learning. Using an adult-learning-perspective in teaching enables a teacher to focus on preparing students for life. I believe that adult learners should be preparing for energy rather than looking for knowledge to guide them to success. Adult learning should focus on instilling knowledge and skills that the learners can use to become innovative in developing solutions to life’s challenges (Mezirow 8).
Beliefs about aims
The main aim of my teaching philosophy is to influence students to keep seeking answers. I believe in using an individual-based teaching approach; hence, allowing students to pose questions is the most feasible method of identifying their personal needs in learning. My goals in teaching include delivering quality information to clarify the principles that answer their questions. My practical approach to education is instrumental in providing theoretical knowledge in a useful way to influence faster learning. Most teachers identify their students’ needs by reviewing their performances in different subjects, but I aim at identifying learning needs by encouraging students to communicate directly about their weaknesses (Barker and Annerstedt 6).
My personal objectives in teaching include captivating students with interesting teaching approaches, clarifying difficult concepts, and developing practical strategies that make the knowledge delivered relevant to the students. I also aim at learning in the process of teaching. I view myself as a teacher with essential experience, and I need to maintain continuity in understanding details about various concepts. I strive to facilitate learning in students while learning from them at the same time. I aim at developing interpersonal relationships with students to create a free environment where they can ask questions and brainstorm for answers in an open social environment.
Beliefs about the subject matter
Delivering the subject matter in the curriculum is the most important thing for a teacher looking to help his or her students to acquire knowledge and skills. While I believe in influencing curiosity to learn in students, I strongly believe in teaching them everything they need to know about different topics, but I strictly use the subject matter as the backbone of the lessons offered. I think in acquainting students with some general knowledge encompassing the subject matter in their curriculum; hence, I am open to answering any questions by students as long as I can tie them up to the subject matter in class. Perhaps, this is one of the most vital points of my teaching philosophy because, unlike most teachers, I am flexible and willing to give students a chance to decide where to start with the delivery of the subject matter (Van Driel and Berry 27). I believe that it does not matter the approach used to deliver content to students as long as I cover the subject matter comprehensively and objectively. My philosophy in content delivery is influencing students to keep questioning themselves and helping them to develop an understanding of the subject matter.
Beliefs about teaching and learning
As highlighted in Piaget’s theory, learning is a gradual process that takes place mainly through the delivery of instructions from teachers and the execution of instructions by the learners. Following this definition of education, I believe that teaching should be focused on instilling essential concepts in the minds of learners. I think that teaching should always happen in an objective way. The subject matter should form the basis of the entire process, but this should not be the only content delivered to students. I believe in equipping students with a general knowledge surrounding the subjects in their curriculum. This approach in teaching commonly applies to adult learning, and it is quite useful in preparing adults for life.
In the same context, I believe in preparing students for more complex topics in the future by highlighting some of the details they should expect to learn later in their respective curriculums. This approach also raises the curiosity of students, and they keep asking questions that guide teaching. Learning, on the other hand, is a process of conceptualizing information. I believe that learning only occurs when students grasp the ideas presented by their teachers, as well as the knowledge they acquire while reading alone. Following this sentiment, I always clarify concepts to influence faster learning for students. I experienced teaching through offering assistance to fellow students in school, and just like Vygotsky’s theory indicates, a teacher influenced the potential of learning in his or her students. This theory is not only applicable to teaching children but also in teaching adults (Alfieri et al. 1). In conclusion, I believe that practical teaching skills and students’ curiosity to learn should be the integral factors influencing learning for adults.
Works Cited
Alfieri, Louis, Patricia Brooks, Naomi Aldrich, and Harriet Tenenbaum. “Does discovery-based instruction enhance learning?” Journal of Educational Psychology 103.1 (2011): 1. Print.
Barker, Dean, Mikael Quennerstedt, and Claes Annerstedt. “Inter-student interactions and student learning in health and physical education: a post-Vygotskian analysis.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (2013): 1-18. Print.
Mezirow, Jack. “Transformative learning: Theory to practice.” New directions for adult and continuing education 1997.74 (1997): 5-12. Print.
Pratt, Daniel, D. Five Perspectives on Teaching in Adult and Higher Education, Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing, 2008. Print.
Rogers, Alan, and Naomi Horrocks, N. Teaching adults. 4th ed. 2010. London: Open University Press. Print.
Van Driel, Jan, H, and Amanda Berry. “Teacher professional development focusing on pedagogical content knowledge.” Educational Researcher 41.1 (2012): 26-28. Print.
What is adult education?2009. Web.