Michelle Taylors Teaching Philosophy The most important component of teaching is the childrens safety.

Children should feel emotionally and physically safe at all times. The classroom should be free from any possible dangers and proper rules should be enforced and modeled to ensure the childrens safety. The teacher needs to be constantly aware of any possible harmful situations and needs to take action to prevent them from occurring. All students have the right to be included regardless of their gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status or other preferences. A safe classroom also means that each student feels welcome and wanted. A class is a team where every team member is encouraging of one another. An inclusive class knows that no student has a weakness; rather each student has different strengths. When speaking about other people students will highlight others strengths not weaknesses. This will create a strong classroom community and a positive learning environment. It is important to embrace cultural diversity and incorporate it into daily lessons. Let students share their cultural traditions with the class and allow them educate the class. Each student comes from a different background and there is a great oppourtunity to learn from each individuals experiences. Taking personal and social responsibility (TPSR) is a model that is woven into lessons and referred to on a daily basis. This model is based off of the following five levels: caring, self-direction, participation, respect and transferring these qualities outside of the school environment. This model not only encompasses observable behaviours, but attitudes, beliefs and values. These levels help students to progress through life with the skills necessary to be productive and positive citizens in the community. The values of TPSR allow children to manage their own successes and take personal

responsibility by giving them the choice to make good decisions. The teacher guides them through goal setting, team building and self-monitoring so they can learn to set themselves up for success. Meeting childs needs differentiated instruction, assessment and evaluation All lessons should be tailored to the needs of the students. It is important to adjust lesson plans and activities so that they meet the needs of each student. A student who is working at a grade level above or below the class in a certain subject should have modifications made to their assessments and this should be taken into consideration during the evaluation as well. Engaging students in the lesson whether it is through open discussion, group projects, or activity centers A student-centered lesson keeps students involved in the activities and is more exciting for them. If the lesson is more captivating, the students will have a longer attention span and be able to have a more meaningful learning experience. I want to foster an environment where all types of questions are encouraged to be asked. Students are encouraged to respectfully participate in class discussions, group projects and activities. Interactive learning where students have the oppourtunity to teach other students in a small groups or in pairs is another way for students to confirm what they have learned. Student self reflection and teacher self-reflection Ask for students reflection of what they learned and reflect on the delivery of the lesson (from a teaching stand point). Meta-cognition is an important skill not only for academic purposes, but in daily life and the working world. This helps us to improve upon our skills and better ourselves. As teachers we can always improve our lessons and this begins with critical and consistent reflections.