Mercedes Nicole Tesh

Emory & Henry College

Interdisciplinary English
Statement of Teaching Philosophy

You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.
Galileo Galilei
Every human has the ability to be successful and every human has the
ability to be brilliantbut they have to be given the opportunity to express it. That
is what it means to be a teacherto be someone who allows the inner brilliance
of every human being to reach the surface and bloom into something larger.
That is what draws me into the teaching profession. I have always felt a
calling to help others, and what better way to do that then allowing each
individual who enters the classroom doors to embark on a journey of learning.
By teaching, for example, I can mentor students and contribute to their
intellectual growth, gain new perspectives on topics that occupy my research, and
reexamine the key ideas and assumptions that shape the production of
knowledge in the field.
English is a subject that is commonly overlooked. When people speak,
they forget that each word they use and each sentence they compose has rules
that make up the English Language. Words are a powerful entity. Words,
spoken or written, can collaborate to create any emotion or scenario. In my
classroom, I want students to understand the importance of language and how
strong a sentence composition can be. I want students to learn about different
authors, types of literature, and sentence structure, and how they all can be used
in a powerful way. In an intensive study of the English language and worldly
literature, students will gain an understanding of foundational concepts in the
field, sophistication as critical thinkers, and/or the ability to write concise and wellsupported arguments.
Every student that crosses the threshold into the classroom is different.
They each posses different learning styles and different ways of processing
information. Therefore, there should be no set method of teaching in a
classroom. Each lesson and each day should show variation in lesson plans and
methods of learning to meet all the needs of each child. No lesson or activity

should include lecture, but should always be collaborative learning that involves
group effort and hands on learning.
Each student should have the chance to share progressive thinking and
contribute to the overall learning process. Students should not have to take
formal tests to be assessed, but should be assessed based on their performance
during the lesson, and how well they process the information. No student should
be put on the spot. This method of teaching can lead to student
embarrassment and a negative connation toward the subject. The learning
environment should be welcoming and fun. Despite the age of the students,
movement and hands on activities should always be implemented.
Music and visual aids should be used in every lesson. Much like the
tactical approach aforementioned, visual and auditory senses should be met as
well. Research has proven that the proper use of music in the classroom can
boost not only classroom management, but student performance as well.
The students achievements and overall success will asses my teaching
skills and whether or not the objectives were met. This can be observed
informally by student feedback during a lesson, or grades on homework from a
lesson the day before; or it can be assessed formally by tests. If students
perform well on a standardized test or quiz they have processed the information
and are able to understand it. If not, the teaching method must be altered, and
the material needs to be retaught.
Although traditional teaching methods have been used for years before, I
feel that a more progressive teaching method [one that involves informal
assessment, collaborative learning, and hands on activities] are more beneficial
to the students.