Darden 1

Joanna Darden

September 25, 2015

Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Unlike many of my peers, my career of choice when I was a young child has remained
the same throughout the entirety of my life. I am excited to report that I am even more excited to
become an Elementary School teacher than I was at eight years old! I have learned since then
that I have many reasons for wanting to become a teacher other than just so I could be like Ms.
Mitchell, my third grade teacher. I want to teach in order to make a difference in childrens lives.
The goal of teaching is not just to fill students heads with content. Rather, the goal of teaching is
to encourage students to be the best version of themselves that they can be. Like John Dewey
once said, education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.
Education is a cyclical process; meaning ideas about what educations purpose is changes
by the decade based on trends. Although the popular opinion might evolve, my idea of the true
purpose of education will remain the same. I believe that education is important because it aids
in helping students become the best version of themselves that they can be. Teachers are not just
holders of knowledge; teachers are life coaches. Education also prepares the future generation to
take over our roles to run society. For example, all the present doctors are going to retire, and to
keep society moving, we have to have professionals versed in medicine. We must train up future
leaders, doctors, teachers, scientists, etc. in order for there to be success in society.
Like I stated, a teachers sole purpose is not just to teach content. However, there are state
standards that teachers must cover in order for students to move on to the next grade level.
Teachers are to teach content, but teachers are also to know his or her students well. Like
Maslow determined, if a students basic needs are not met, he or she cannot focus and learn

Darden 2
content. A teachers role is to be a detective when a student is not doing well. Children spend the
majority of their day in school with their teachers, and frequently, educators are the people who
notice something negative in a childs life. A teacher is also a guide when it comes to learning.
There never only one way to teach a subject, and sometimes the first strategy does not work as
planned. Educators must be flexible when in the classroom to ensure kids have an equal
opportunity to learn.
All students learn differently and in different situations. Therefore, I will utilize a variety
of diverse strategies while teaching to ensure all students have an opportunity to learn the
material. I also plan to use multiple strategies within each lesson so that there is differentiation.
Strategies I plan on using include whole group instruction, small group instruction, group work,
partner discussion, think-pair-share, centers, STAD, guided discovery model, and jigsaw. As I
mature and grow in my profession, I plan on also growing my list of models to better teach my
students.
I believe every childs education should be well-rounded and unbiased. The four core
subjects, English/reading, math, science, and social sciences should be taught to some degree in
all grade levels. I also believe in the importance of the arts. All students should be exposed to the
arts from an early age and then be presented with a choice once they are in secondary levels.
Physical education and recess in elementary grades should be a large part of a students day.
There is plenty of research stating that children focus better when given the chance to be active
during the school day. They also need this physical time to keep them healthy.
Teaching is about the students, and everything I do in my classroom will always have the
individual students as the number one priority. I deeply care about each student as an individual,
and I will never view them as a number. My ultimate goal is to ensure that I can assist all

Darden 3
students in any way possible to guarantee that they are successful in school and in life.