Running head: TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 1

Teaching Philosophy

Dylaney Dalton

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2019

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 2

Introduction

At the start of any school year, an educator puts themselves in a place of training up a

diverse group of students and shaping them into the people they have yet to become. Doing so

requires the teacher to assess their beliefs, expectations, goals, and role in in helping to develop

students in preparation for their future. Such assessments must consider the diverse needs of

students, but also create a consistent environment to foster student learning. As I have evaluated

my educational philosophy, I have seen how my experiences have helped to shape and define my

expectations of students, as well as note areas where my philosophy is implemented to help

shape their lives.

Philosophy of Education

My experiences in classrooms have shown me that all students are capable of being

motivated towards a goal. For many students, I have noticed that receiving an education is not

their primary goal, but rather a means to an end. These students tend to not value their education

for the sake of knowledge but place its worth in its results. These students motivate themselves

by focusing on the end goal of a reward, applying a concept, or moving on to the next grade

level. As an educator, I have found my responsibility in addressing their own expectations, as

well as expanding their goals when I have found their goals easy to reach. Students have high

hopes for what they will be able to do in the future and my desire is to let them seek out that

motivation, encourage them to pursue it, and challenge them to make connections to that goal as

often as possible. This allows students to feel that the content they are learning is applicable to

their lives, rather than view their education as pointless.

While many students are motivated by this, it is important to note that not all students are

motivated towards the end goal. Because of this, many students have short expectations for
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 3

themselves and do not readily push themselves to excel. However, it is just as essential that these

students strive as well, and my expectations of students are that they work diligently towards

improvement no matter how they perform at a specific skill or concept. When these students

meet their own goals, they note that my expectations are consistent and that I expect their best

effort no matter what. By making this expectation consistent, students can still feel satisfied in

their own goals, but gain an awareness that they have never learned everything and that there is

continual room for improvement which helps to foster a diligent work ethic and morale as well

as promote an effective learning environment.

Evolution of Beliefs

When I originally entered the classroom, I started with they belief that is was my

responsibility alone to help students become better students and people. However, in taking this

approach, the classroom was dependent on the teacher and led to a teacher-centered learning

environment that did not foster individual student growth. Students were less likely to take

initiative and never had the opportunities to responsible for or place investment in their learning.

I noted that while I desired for students to prepare themselves for success in the future, I was not

setting them up with opportunities to do so. As a result of this, I spent a substantial amount of

time rebuilding relationships with students to know them on a more personal level and identify

what motivates them best. When I began to do this, I noted that students became more proactive

with their education and their end goal and my responsibility shifted by providing them with the

resources, support, and accommodations needed to help them excel.

Goals and Faith Integration

My goal for student learning and development is to provide students with ample

opportunities to grow as individuals and expand their thinking and ideas in new ways. While
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 4

there is benefit in fact memorization and teacher-led instruction, they do not allow for students to

challenge themselves to express their personalities, thoughts, and ideas, nor identify new ways to

solve problems. In my eyes, students are not merely participants in their education- they are

leaders of it. Students achieve their best and express their thoughts and ideas on a topic more

thoroughly when they have placed an investment of their own into the learning. This not only

allows students to develop more mature academic behaviors, but social ones as well. When all

students are equally invested in their work, it builds better peer rapport and encourages students

to challenge and sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17, KJV).

I have high hopes that my students will not only work towards their own goals, but build

up the goals of others, as well. My desire as an influence in students’ lives is to reflect this daily,

by intently striving with students to work towards their growth and my own. I hope to display to

my students that there is consistently room for growth, both in their lives as well as my own. As I

strive towards living this out, I am reminded of Colossians 3:12-17 (KJV), which is a reminder

that growth and sanctification must be done daily and that I am dependent on Christ in fulfilling

this work, as noted in it’s saying, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and

admonishing one another in all wisdom… And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything

in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…” (v. 16-17). In

living this out, I can be an example to my students in striving forward towards an end goal and

purpose and not stopping until it has been completed, as well as emphasize my desire to see all

of them continue to grow in prosper.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 5

Reference:

King James Bible. Zondervan Bibles.