Teaching Philosophy

Learning is composed of many different aspects. Teaching strategies, goals, assessments,

classroom management, and inclusive learning environments all play an integral part in effective
teaching. Successful teaching is encouraging and provokes students to seek answers. I am
extremely passionate about math and I aim to inspire my students to feel at least some of that
passion within themselves. I trust in the importance of my discipline and I want to pass on
acknowledgement of the immense spectrum of things math does for this world. I believe that
teachers should always have high expectations of their students. If you put a cap on what you
expect from them, they will never surpass that ceiling.
As a high school math teacher, I would like to promote a certain way of thinking. Math
instills in you how to think, not just about numbers, but about how to process information.
Reasoning and logic are an important part of solving math problems, as well as situations that
occur in everyday life. If I can facilitate this rational type of thinking in my classroom, I can
anticipate that such cognitive processes can translate into real-life application for students on
many levels. Piagets Cognitive Development Theory explains the mechanisms and processes by
which a child develops from an infant into an individual who can reason and think using
hypotheses, with the end goal being the formal operational stage. Unfortunately, as a high school
teacher, I cannot change a childs upbringing or home life; I can, however, aid in a more positive
and refined way of thinking in the final stages of cognitive development for adolescents.
One of my goals is to offer my students the tools and motivation to get to this level,
ultimately providing them with the ability to develop and use deductive reasoning. For example,
I recently gave a geometry lesson on proofs. The students had difficulty understanding the
transitive property: if A=B and B=C, then A=C. I tried to think of a more realistic way of

explaining this to themsomething to which they could relate. I used three of the students as
examples, stating, "if Jose is the same height as Abraham, and Abraham is the same height as
Mathais, then Jose is also the same height as Mathais. Immediately, a lightbulb went off, and
they could now associate a real-life situation with their lesson. I made the material memorable
rather than just something to memorize. They were no longer confused by the transitive
property; they used deductive reasoning and didn't even know it. This is the kind of mental
processing and skill that I hope to develop during my time with each class.
Student assessments are necessary in gauging understanding. I will utilize formative
assessments throughout my lessons to keep track of my progress with the class, or lack thereof.
My assessments will provide practice for the students, show me how my class comprehends the
material, and show the students how they themselves are performing so they know where they
need improvement. Although some students lack motivation, I think that people by nature want
to do well and these assessments can be a way to aid in self-growth. Teachers need to understand
not only what the class is learning as a whole, but also how each student specifically learns and
processes information, especially mathematically. Once I understand how they think as
individuals, I can explain and even predict their problem areas so I can take the proper course of
actions.
I believe the most important way to ensure effective teaching is personal assessment and
self-reflection. I reason that if the majority of my class fails a test or get the same answers
wrong, it is an error on my part as their teacher. I can assess myself by evaluating how well my
students are performing and comprehending the topic. I might have presented the most detailed,
put-together lesson, but it just may not have worked for the class; and that's okay. I can use my
shortcomings to regroup and change what didnt work. Whats not okay is to stick with that

same lesson plan when I know it was unsuccessful. Education is constantly changing. Times
change, my students will change, curriculum and standards change; so it is imperative that I
adapt my styles and strategies to fit both my needs and my students needs, and self-reflection is
the key factor in keeping my teaching skills on track.
Students spend a significantly large percentage of their time at school, and I believe it is
crucial that there is a comfortable learning environment afforded to them. It is my responsibility
to make sure students feel safe in my classroom. I plan on providing a warm and nurturing
atmosphere in which they can learn supportively and effectively. Some students may get more
attention at school than at home, and that is something that all teachers should keep in mind
when interacting with them, especially in urban districts. Urban districts pose certain challenges
that one might not see in other schools. It is important to be culturally sensitive and try to
identify with students backgrounds. Learners need to open up in order to let the teacher in, and
in turn, absorb information efficiently. Some students might feel vulnerable in doing so. You
cannot expect a student to open up and engage if they dont feel comfortable with you. When
you gain your students trust, it makes it easier to properly manage your classroom. Meaningful
learning cannot happen in a poorly managed classroom.
At this point, I feel confident that I will provide my classroom with an adequate balance
or management, disciple, and support. I know that my first few years will come with many
learning experiences, both from failures and successes. My teaching philosophy has
accumulated progressively during my field experiences. I expect that it will continue to evolve
throughout my internship and as I gain more and more professional experience, leaving me with
a culmination of useful knowledge and a broader outlook into the world of teaching.