Teaching Philosophy
My philosophy of teaching has changed over the years as my experience has grown and my roles have shifted. Reflection has made me realize that the word I most associate with teaching is change. My teaching has undergone multiple transformations and I have emerged as a teacher distinct from the one I once was. As a beginning middle grades teacher, that change equaled growth, gained through experience and collaboration with others. As a teacher educator, that change has shifted to my students and my philosophy has evolved into a more cohesive perspective on education.
In my ten years as a public school teacher, change was a constant feature of my philosophy. However, and perhaps naturally, the focal point of change was me rather than my students. As I began to develop the confidence and competence of a more experienced teacher, my teaching philosophy, although still about change, became more of a continuum. I endeavored to find a balance rather than function at extremes of flexibility versus structure, support versus challenge, questioning versus problem solving, nurture versus discipline, real world versus textbook, and personal versus professional growth. The more I engaged in the process of self-assessment, the more I learned, and I realized that students are an invaluable source of teacher learning.
As my philosophy extended beyond myself and toward students, I began to see this continuum in terms of what students bring to the classroom and what they hope to gain. As the demographic climate continually shifted, bringing increased diversity to my classroom, I began to work on incorporating students’ experience, lives, and cultures, and voices into the classroom and I feel that I am able to move more fluidly along the continuum to meet the needs of individual students.
In the transition from middle school teacher to college professor, my focus further shifted toward student learning, learning associated with access. Looking back, I realize that my own upbringing in an environment that emphasized marriage and family over college and career forged my belief that education was a way to gain access to a broader spectrum of possibility. For my students in higher education, I believe that education can provide them with new worldviews and new ways of interacting and existing in a global context. As a teacher educator, I have the unique opportunity to impact education beyond the walls of my own classroom and provide access and a global perspective to both my own students and the students they will eventually teach.
My philosophies for teaching and learning, for issues of classroom diversity, and for middle level education have merged into a cohesive hybrid that has reinforced my commitment to teacher education. I believe that my stance and the enactment of it in my practice have already positively impacted students in both my higher education courses and their middle school classrooms. I hope to further advance my educational and professional journeys, learning from both contexts and broadening my philosophy beyond its current conception.
In my ten years as a public school teacher, change was a constant feature of my philosophy. However, and perhaps naturally, the focal point of change was me rather than my students. As I began to develop the confidence and competence of a more experienced teacher, my teaching philosophy, although still about change, became more of a continuum. I endeavored to find a balance rather than function at extremes of flexibility versus structure, support versus challenge, questioning versus problem solving, nurture versus discipline, real world versus textbook, and personal versus professional growth. The more I engaged in the process of self-assessment, the more I learned, and I realized that students are an invaluable source of teacher learning.
As my philosophy extended beyond myself and toward students, I began to see this continuum in terms of what students bring to the classroom and what they hope to gain. As the demographic climate continually shifted, bringing increased diversity to my classroom, I began to work on incorporating students’ experience, lives, and cultures, and voices into the classroom and I feel that I am able to move more fluidly along the continuum to meet the needs of individual students.
In the transition from middle school teacher to college professor, my focus further shifted toward student learning, learning associated with access. Looking back, I realize that my own upbringing in an environment that emphasized marriage and family over college and career forged my belief that education was a way to gain access to a broader spectrum of possibility. For my students in higher education, I believe that education can provide them with new worldviews and new ways of interacting and existing in a global context. As a teacher educator, I have the unique opportunity to impact education beyond the walls of my own classroom and provide access and a global perspective to both my own students and the students they will eventually teach.
My philosophies for teaching and learning, for issues of classroom diversity, and for middle level education have merged into a cohesive hybrid that has reinforced my commitment to teacher education. I believe that my stance and the enactment of it in my practice have already positively impacted students in both my higher education courses and their middle school classrooms. I hope to further advance my educational and professional journeys, learning from both contexts and broadening my philosophy beyond its current conception.
Teaching Beliefs Statement
Preservice teachers are experiencing a shift from student to teacher that tests their knowledge, beliefs, and perspectives and that is often accompanied by a range of emotions. My role as a teacher educator is to advise, supervise, mentor, and instruct my students through their process of learning to teach. To accomplish these multiple tasks, I incorporate the following four components into my teaching: inquiry, social construction of knowledge, reflection, and community.
A focus on inquiry is important for teacher education because teacher candidates feel they have so much to learn in such a short amount of time. They yearn for quick fixes to the daily challenges they face but benefit more by stepping back and considering the situation as a site for research and learning. One of the ways we engage in this inquiry process early on is through case studies. I have written composite cases from my own experiences and those of former students that I use to instruct and facilitate inquiry. Students often find it easiest to take the teacher perspective in these cases; however, once that is established, they are asked to shift their focus and consider the perspective of students, parents, administrators, or colleagues. Difficult at first, this process is important in helping preservice teachers understand the complexity of teaching and that the way we frame the situation influences the outcomes. Often, if a member of the class has a similar experience, we revisit the case in light of the new information or knowledge, a process that contributes to the long-term learning of all.
My belief that knowledge is constructed in collaboration with others is central to my lesson planning. Group discussion and cooperative learning are a part of every lesson, whether quick and informal or more structured and focused. A day might begin with a think-pair-share activity or a free write and share activity. More elaborate group activities might include jigsaws or research presentations. One of the tools I like best to encourage collaborative learning is online discussion. Whether we are discussing a case study, a question from our reading, or a question posed by a member of our learning community, the online, written format has some advantages. Students who are less willing to voice their ideas in class discussion might feel more comfortable sharing in a more indirect way. These individuals often have insight and experience to offer that can significantly contribute to the discussion overall. I believe it is important to provide opportunities for every voice to be heard and I think incorporating multiple discussion strategies and formats is a way to increase the knowledge production of everyone involved.
I believe reflection is vital to being an effective educator at any level and see the value of individual and collaborative reflection. As a public school teacher, reflection was a part of my daily routine and though the way I reflect and the things that I think about have changed and grown over the years, reflection has always pushed my thinking forward and improved my teaching. My preservice teachers are asked to reflect regularly, informally and formally, in speech and in writing, individually and collectively, practically and critically. As they become more comfortable with their unique reflective habits, I adopt the stance of co-thinker and co-inquirer, asking questions of them and challenging them to ask more questions of themselves and the contexts in which they teach. In doing so, it is important for me to consider their positions; they do not all reflect in the same ways, at the same pace, on the same topics. Allowing for individualization of reflection is way that ensures it does not become just another licensure requirement but a way of thinking about teaching overall.
A focus on inquiry is important for teacher education because teacher candidates feel they have so much to learn in such a short amount of time. They yearn for quick fixes to the daily challenges they face but benefit more by stepping back and considering the situation as a site for research and learning. One of the ways we engage in this inquiry process early on is through case studies. I have written composite cases from my own experiences and those of former students that I use to instruct and facilitate inquiry. Students often find it easiest to take the teacher perspective in these cases; however, once that is established, they are asked to shift their focus and consider the perspective of students, parents, administrators, or colleagues. Difficult at first, this process is important in helping preservice teachers understand the complexity of teaching and that the way we frame the situation influences the outcomes. Often, if a member of the class has a similar experience, we revisit the case in light of the new information or knowledge, a process that contributes to the long-term learning of all.
My belief that knowledge is constructed in collaboration with others is central to my lesson planning. Group discussion and cooperative learning are a part of every lesson, whether quick and informal or more structured and focused. A day might begin with a think-pair-share activity or a free write and share activity. More elaborate group activities might include jigsaws or research presentations. One of the tools I like best to encourage collaborative learning is online discussion. Whether we are discussing a case study, a question from our reading, or a question posed by a member of our learning community, the online, written format has some advantages. Students who are less willing to voice their ideas in class discussion might feel more comfortable sharing in a more indirect way. These individuals often have insight and experience to offer that can significantly contribute to the discussion overall. I believe it is important to provide opportunities for every voice to be heard and I think incorporating multiple discussion strategies and formats is a way to increase the knowledge production of everyone involved.
I believe reflection is vital to being an effective educator at any level and see the value of individual and collaborative reflection. As a public school teacher, reflection was a part of my daily routine and though the way I reflect and the things that I think about have changed and grown over the years, reflection has always pushed my thinking forward and improved my teaching. My preservice teachers are asked to reflect regularly, informally and formally, in speech and in writing, individually and collectively, practically and critically. As they become more comfortable with their unique reflective habits, I adopt the stance of co-thinker and co-inquirer, asking questions of them and challenging them to ask more questions of themselves and the contexts in which they teach. In doing so, it is important for me to consider their positions; they do not all reflect in the same ways, at the same pace, on the same topics. Allowing for individualization of reflection is way that ensures it does not become just another licensure requirement but a way of thinking about teaching overall.
Diversity & Advocacy Statement
Diversity and advocacy are two commitments that I have had for myself for many years. Growing up as a student of color in a predominantly White community, I experienced firsthand the deficit views of particular individuals and communities. A high school counselor once told me that I should not apply for scholarships because college was not in my future. Despite his advice, I did apply and received multiple scholarships that allowed me to pursue my degree in education. From that moment on, I knew that whatever my future held, it would include advocating for students of diversity.
I pursued a degree in education and chose to teach in a school that was often described as “tough.” The community and students were very diverse, ranging greatly terms of linguistic and cultural diversity and socioeconomic status. I chose to accept a position in that particular neighborhood because of its diversity and because I saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community in which I had grown up. I chose to specialize in language teaching because I feel language is a lens through which we can see others’ perspectives and experiences. I wanted to help my students learn to communicate effectively, both in expression and in understanding.
As one of very few faculty of color, I began to work as an advocate for students who I felt were being marginalized in our school community. For example, leadership roles were rare among students of color, despite the rapidly increasing diversity of the student population. I worked with two colleagues to redesign the student government and leadership programs, emphasizing community involvement, service learning, and scholastic achievement over campaigning and popularity. I believe giving formerly marginalized students an opportunity to be student leaders changed the culture of our school, moving away from an “us-them” mentality and toward a more socially just, integrated community.
My commitment to diverse student advocacy also led me to return to the classroom myself to become certified to teach English as a Second Language courses. I also worked with a team of teachers to provide after-school and summer enrichment programs and classes for students, particularly students who wanted extra help or who needed a safe place to be in the afternoons and summers. The enrichment program, funded by a large federal grant as well as community business partners, was also a way to reach out to families and the community through the parent/community center we established. These experiences allowed me to cultivate richer relationships with students and their families which truly impacted my life in positive ways; I know it made a difference for students and families as well.
Since that time, my career has taken a different direction. As a teacher educator now, I see it as my social responsibility to prepare preservice teachers to teach all students equitably. I believe teacher education should include opportunities to examine our own beliefs, experiences, and biases with regard to teaching, learning, students, and communities. In that examination, I challenge preservice teachers to question the taken-for-granted practices of classrooms and schools and question who they are intended to serve and what they are actually accomplishing. I incorporate case studies, role play, and critical reflection into my teaching so that students can learn to see issues from multiple perspectives. I allow opportunities to share experiences, collaborate, and discuss relevant issues because I believe a teacher education program is a community of inquiry in which all contribute to the learning of all.
Finally, my research interests are also very closely tied to my commitment to diversity and student advocacy. I am currently studying the ways preservice teachers learn and develop in courses specifically centered on diversity and social justice. Whenever possible, I allow the voices of preservice teacher to be heard because I believe their learning and experiences can greatly impact the research base and the practices of teacher educators. Diversity in education is the thread that is woven throughout my teaching and my research and I am often surprised at how much one informs the other. In conducting research, teaching, supervising, and mentoring, my commitment remains the same—to prepare teachers to be effective, reflective practitioners who themselves are committed to advocacy for and education of all students, regardless of race, class, gender, or socioeconomic status.
I pursued a degree in education and chose to teach in a school that was often described as “tough.” The community and students were very diverse, ranging greatly terms of linguistic and cultural diversity and socioeconomic status. I chose to accept a position in that particular neighborhood because of its diversity and because I saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community in which I had grown up. I chose to specialize in language teaching because I feel language is a lens through which we can see others’ perspectives and experiences. I wanted to help my students learn to communicate effectively, both in expression and in understanding.
As one of very few faculty of color, I began to work as an advocate for students who I felt were being marginalized in our school community. For example, leadership roles were rare among students of color, despite the rapidly increasing diversity of the student population. I worked with two colleagues to redesign the student government and leadership programs, emphasizing community involvement, service learning, and scholastic achievement over campaigning and popularity. I believe giving formerly marginalized students an opportunity to be student leaders changed the culture of our school, moving away from an “us-them” mentality and toward a more socially just, integrated community.
My commitment to diverse student advocacy also led me to return to the classroom myself to become certified to teach English as a Second Language courses. I also worked with a team of teachers to provide after-school and summer enrichment programs and classes for students, particularly students who wanted extra help or who needed a safe place to be in the afternoons and summers. The enrichment program, funded by a large federal grant as well as community business partners, was also a way to reach out to families and the community through the parent/community center we established. These experiences allowed me to cultivate richer relationships with students and their families which truly impacted my life in positive ways; I know it made a difference for students and families as well.
Since that time, my career has taken a different direction. As a teacher educator now, I see it as my social responsibility to prepare preservice teachers to teach all students equitably. I believe teacher education should include opportunities to examine our own beliefs, experiences, and biases with regard to teaching, learning, students, and communities. In that examination, I challenge preservice teachers to question the taken-for-granted practices of classrooms and schools and question who they are intended to serve and what they are actually accomplishing. I incorporate case studies, role play, and critical reflection into my teaching so that students can learn to see issues from multiple perspectives. I allow opportunities to share experiences, collaborate, and discuss relevant issues because I believe a teacher education program is a community of inquiry in which all contribute to the learning of all.
Finally, my research interests are also very closely tied to my commitment to diversity and student advocacy. I am currently studying the ways preservice teachers learn and develop in courses specifically centered on diversity and social justice. Whenever possible, I allow the voices of preservice teacher to be heard because I believe their learning and experiences can greatly impact the research base and the practices of teacher educators. Diversity in education is the thread that is woven throughout my teaching and my research and I am often surprised at how much one informs the other. In conducting research, teaching, supervising, and mentoring, my commitment remains the same—to prepare teachers to be effective, reflective practitioners who themselves are committed to advocacy for and education of all students, regardless of race, class, gender, or socioeconomic status.