Jasmin C.

Perez
Intro Philosophy
11/08/10
Thinking about the many teachers I had over the years and remembering
everything I loved about them always makes me remember why I want to go into
teaching. Ive wanted to be a teacher for as long as I could remember maybe even before
that. Of course I have always had other wishes in the past, for example I remember
wanting to be a police officer, a year later I wanted to be a lawyer and few years after that
I considered becoming an artist. However, I always came back to teaching in the endregardless of how far my other interests took me I always knew I wanted to be a teacher
more than anything else. For me, becoming a teacher has always been about helping other
people achieve their goals. I want to help students achieve all that they can and help them
discover all the opportunities they have for a better future. With this paper I will try to
explain my philosophy on teaching, I will express my views on professionalism, teaching
beliefs, guidance with students, and incorporating the community and the parents into the
classroom. Most importantly, with this paper I will do my best to explain how I will
become a teacher that years from now will be remembered by her students the way I
remember mine.
One of the most influential lessons I could ever learn from my teachers was to
hold high standards of not only myself, but also of all those who surrounded me. To this
day I hold those words to be true, as a teacher I hope to be able to pass that same
knowledge on to my students. By showing them the respect they deserve and encouraging
intellectual diversity within the students I hope to promote a higher level of thinking.

Which in turn will help spread a healthy and diverse environment where not only the
students will learn all that they can but they can also learn how to apply it to their dayto-day lives. Teaching has been my goal in life and I plan on making the most I can of it.
I have full confidence in my ability to plan a fitting curriculum which I believe to be the
lifeline of any classroom- and I also feel that my never give up attitude will encourage
students to try all that they can and thus succeed as far as they can. I know that the
knowledge I now posses and the knowledge I will acquire throughout my life will be of
help within my classroom and my teachings. I believe children of any age have the ability
to learn much more than they are currently being taught and I hope to be able to change
that one day. Through my commitment to my students I hope to share experiences with
them and broaden their understanding of the life around them.
Although many people have shaped the way I think about teaching nothing has
influenced my view more than attending a Montessori school for several years. The
theories and practices brought forth by Maria Montessori have not only revolutionized
the way schools are run, but they have also had a major impact on the students that have
attended such schools. Maria Montessori believed that having children collaborate with
students of different ages and practice hands-on activities allowed them to make the
appropriate connections between their academics and their day to day lives. By using
objects that can be found inside a home students have a better chance of learning what
they are being taught, rather than if they were being taught by constant lecture. I
personally believe hands-on learning is one of the most important elements of learning
and I fully intend to employ the method within my classroom. Having students of
multiple ages within a classroom also allows for inter-student teaching and collaboration

which is a great method for creating a diverse learning environment. I hope to be able to
use many of the Montessori concepts within my classroom because from experience I am
aware that the methods work within any classroom and are worth being practiced.
However a classroom is not all about academics, there is a certain amount of
nurturing that goes into each classroom in order to create a functional learning
environment. Appropriate classroom management which I believe to be one of the most
important elements of a working classroom-, must be practiced routinely in order to have
a functioning classroom setting. By showing my students respect and understanding I
hope to pass on to them proper values so that they can become individuals who not only
respect themselves but those around them too. By modeling proper behavior and being an
exemplary citizen I hope to inspire them to one day be the same. As I have mentioned
before, high standards are very important to me and I will always expect the best from
my students, helping them in any way I can to get there. Through these methods I hope to
create good a relationship with my students, a relationship with which I can better teach
my students all that I can.
Along with creating good relationships with my students, I believe the community
we live in can be a crucial factor in teaching students how to be a better person and a
working member of society. By planning volunteer activities for my students and
extracurricular events around town I hope to be able to close the gap found between
school and the outside world. Thus allowing students to experience different things and
learn a variety of lessons that cannot be taught inside the classroom. Having members of
the community in to give seminars or short lessons can also improve classroom
performance and achievements by expanding the interests of students and allowing them

to pursue something on their own. Having parents as volunteers during class trips or
during lessons can also help students feel more comfortable within the classroom while
also promoting better behavior from the students. Getting the students involved with life
outside the classroom is crucial in the development of young children. Helping them get a
better understanding of their surroundings is one of the most valuable lessons I, as a
teacher, can offer them.
I believe that teachers have a commitment to their students and fulfilling this
commitment requires a lot of motivation, perseverance, resourcefulness, and creativity. I
know I possess all of those qualities and more and hope to one day be able to pass on
more than just classroom etiquette to my students. My ultimate goal as a teacher is to
help my students explore the world around them, and help them find interests that will
motivate them to continue their education well beyond high school. I want to encourage
my students to think critically, hold high standards of themselves, and to want to learn
well beyond what I can teach them. I wish to lead my students to be all that they can as
my teachers lead me.

Jasmin Perez
Assessment Philosophy
09/17/13
Assessment of an individual can mean many several things, for the purpose of this
class I believe assessment to be defined as a tool used to measure the amount of
information, data, or skill level that a student has retained after a certain amount of time.
An assessment is also a tool that can be used to evaluate which information has been
properly passed on or taught to the student, as not all retention of information is solely
the responsibility of the student. Assessment, when viewed as a tool for these purposes,
can then allow the instructor to see what information merits more in depth exploration
and which has been successfully explored.
An assessment can also be used to plan future lesson plans, particularly when
attempting to find a specific method of teaching that may be most functional for each
individual class or student. By using the results from an assessment an instructor will be
better prepared to guide a future lesson in the right direction so that each student gets the
most out of the lesson and can retain the most information. Apart from measuring student
growth and guiding future lesson plans, assessment can also serve the purpose of helping
an instructor recognize which students might be struggling and thus assist them in finding
the help they need or place them within programs that can help them succeed.
In this context, it is my belief that assessment results should only be used in a
manner which will benefit the student. Regardless of public grading policies, and school
wide expectations, a students grades should only be used in a manner which will benefit
him/her or facilitate his/her success in the future. It is because of this belief, that I

strongly sustain that only the student, their parents, and the instructor are allowed to view
a students assessment results. I also strongly believe that these results should be
discussed in person with all involved parties present so that both the parents and student
can work along with the instructor in case there is a need for assistance.
In regards to preferable formats, I feel that it is up to the discretion of the
instructor to choose the most suitable format for their students. Although it is evident that
finding a suitable format may be somewhat of a process, I feel the end product will be
worth it. Experimenting with various formats within the same assessment would be one
way of exploring which format works best for each individual, as well as allowing the
students to come up with their own system.

Jasmin Perez
Language Learning Philosophy
12.21.13
My philosophy of language education has evolved recently and will most likely
continue to do so over the years. Most recently, my guiding principle for teaching now
revolves around the idea that part of a teachers job is to supply students with the
necessary skills and resources to take control of their own learning, and to model the
behaviors they would want their students to emulate. That is to say, that my job as an
educator will not be to only supply them with information and ideas but also with the
skills and mental tools necessary for them to go beyond the classroom and use what I
have taught them in their own functional manner so as to grow both as learners and
individuals.
Furthermore, my role of a teacher should not be taken as a role of power but
rather as a working facilitator between my students and the world of knowledge.
Intellectually I should provide my students with challenges to help them push through the
obstacles placed before them while teaching them how to mentally and emotionally
prepare for the future. Traditionally, foreign language instruction has focused on creating
an interactive, intrinsically motivated approach to teaching, but I believe that as educators
we should be paying just as much attention to empowering students with the ability to
accept the language we are trying to teach them and in a sense teach them how to
learn a language. Otherwise, it would be useless for us as educators to prepare any kind
of material for a student who doesnt know how or is unwilling to learn.

Some of the principle factors needed in order for this theory to function will
include the use of self-evaluation -both on my part as a teacher, and my students part as
learners, the use of multimedia lessons -so as to offer a wide variety of teaching methods,
and the use of student motivated projects which will help the students feel more involved
in their own education. Ultimately, if the students are self invested in their education then
they will be self motivated to continue on to higher education and hopefully a more
fulfilling and globally aware future.
Personally I am a strong believer of un-schooling children and taking them out
of the mindset that they can only receive an education and not give wisdom to others.
Although in the case of language education I, as the teacher, will hold most of the
knowledge in this particular subject area, I feel strongly about the amount of knowledge
and wisdom I can gain from my students. I can only hope to be able to be open to this
exchange and know that I will strive to keep that exchange open and ongoing.

Jasmin Perez
Management Philosophy
03/14/14
As a teacher, providing a safe, comfortable classroom environment and
maximizing opportunities for student learning will be the most important factors when
governing student behavior. In the following paragraphs will attempt to describe my
strategies for establishing and maintaining a well-managed environment to optimize
learning opportunities. Most of my classroom management strategies are influenced by
Harry and Rosemary Wongs ideas found in The First Days of School.
In order to make the room stimulating and visually appeasing, I hope to decorate
it with cultural exploration materials such as posters of foreign Spanish speaking
countries, cities, movies, books, and etc. I also hope to designate and area where I can
place examples of student work to display. At the same time, to minimize student
distraction, these stimuli are positioned on the periphery or in the back of the room. I
also hope to have an area where students can go to read or practice their language skills
when they are done with their work or are waiting for their peers to finish a test or exam.
In order to help all students feel welcome and comfortable, I hope to get to know
their names and interests right away through conversations with them and working with
them on a 1 on 1 activity. All students interests, strengths, and cultural backgrounds will
be welcomed and valued as I attempt to teach my students to cherish cultural diversity. I
will treat all of my students equitably and interact and communicate with them to make
them feel cared for, listened to, and respected. My efforts to respond to student questions

and to remain patient and calm will hopefully contribute to my comforting, welcoming
classroom environment.
At the beginning of the year, I plan to communicate my rules and expectations clearly
and directly allowing for minimal to no miscommunication, and will continue to express
my expectations through out the rest of the year. Many of the rules I hope to have been
created or agreed upon by the students themselves. I plan on asking students and their
parents to sign a contract stating that they have read and understand my behavioral and
academic expectations and consequences which I will keep on hand to be referenced
when I feel the student is not living up to the agreement. This contract will help to create
a safe, positive, work-oriented environment where students are comfortable to be
themselves while still adhering to my expectations.
To minimize confusion, mistakes, and miscommunication, I feel students should
know exactly what is expected of them and how they can succeed in the class. For
example, daily routines and procedures should be implemented and visibly posted at all
times. A weekly calendar of assignments and due dates should also be visible and
accessible to students. By using these things consistently, students should become
familiar with them and achieve a sense of security and routine when in my classroom. I
also will strive to provide students with clear objectives and concise directions in a visual
and vocal manner. These strategies will help keep students focused which in turn will
create fewer behavioral issues and allow for more meaningful instruction time.
To prevent students from becoming sidetracked and bored, it is important to have
a continuous flow of activities. To ensure this, I will plan all of my lessons with extra
activities for unexpected free time. Students will also have some extra credit work

which will allow them to further practice their language skills during non-instruction
time. All of my materials will be organized in terms of accessibility and availability so
that less time will be spent accessing them. These efforts will help to ensure that class
time is used wisely for furthering education.
In sum, a well-managed classroom and extensive preparation will create a
comfortable, safe place where students will want to learn and take part in their education.
It will also prevent or diminish the amount of distracting events and/or behavioral issues,
which will allow for more quality instructional and learning time.