To the world you may be just a teacher, but to your students you are a hero!

~ Unknown
On the 5th of September 2015, my life was eternally changed when I was enrolled as a
teacher at the Steer Town Academy. To be honest, this was not my dream job as I completed a
first degree in Horticulture and Plant sciences, and a second degree in Crop Biotechnology
and Entrepreneurship; with the hopes of becoming an agricultural consultant working
alongside the Minister of Agriculture. Instead being a teacher became my destiny, as I was
deemed to teach Mathematics and Integrated Science from grades seven to eleven, with the
responsibility to educate, guide and help pave the path for many young individuals.
As a new teacher I cringed at the thoughts and fears of having a classroom that was
out of control, with students running wild. Due to this fear, I found myself thinking a lot
about creating a classroom climate of warmth, establishing a positive culture of freedom,
support and fun learning, as well as rules and consequences. Unfortunately, my nightmare
became a reality as I absolutely did not achieve this on the first try. However after some
amount of seasoning, I was able to develop clear classroom norms and a culture which
facilitated effective teaching and efficient learning.
It is my philosophy that all children can contribute positively to society if their needs are
met and they are provided with a stimulating environment in which they are able to learn, grow
and mature emotionally and physically. Education is a dynamic process, which transforms the life
of learners by providing knowledge. It is through this transformation process where one is able to
alter their lives moving from one stage of growth to another, through the acquisition of knowledge
and skills so that they can make a meaningful contribution to society. I strongly believe that the
teaching and learning environment should be a democratic process whereby the learners and the
instructor can openly share information in a respectable manner. A democratic learning
environment motivates students to participate in the learning process and allows the teacher

opportunities of interaction with the pupils. This supports the shift towards student-centred
learning rather than teacher-centred learning, which provides students with opportunities to share
prior knowledge, views and experiences.
Today the strategies used in the teaching and learning processes should cater to the needs
of the 21st century learners, by incorporating hands on activities, relatable experiences and
technological tools that facilitates and reinforce content taught. In todays society, the world is
centred on technology; therefore it should be imperative for students to receive exposure to
different types of technology, so as to foster their ability to function in the work world efficiently.
This requires adequate lesson planning to facilitate students with these experiences, with fun and
practical activities, rather than conforming students to just note taking. The learning activities
should cater to the different learning styles within the class and encourage students to further
develop their natural skills such as drawing, painting, dancing and acting. It is also critical that
continuous assessment of students progress and growth takes place.
The philosophy that I have put forth is deeply supported by Michael Manley, as he too
believed that the learning process should include the use of technology (The Jamaica
Observer, 2012). Manley strongly saw where technology is vital to the learning process as
students needed exposure to cope in the world and to develop the country. Similarly, Manley
was also an advocate for hands on activities and experiences in the learning and teaching
processes (Henry, 2008). Manleys philosophy also states that values and norms of the society
must be taught to students in the classroom, for them to better understand what behaviours
were acceptable and those that are not (Henry, 2008). This shows that my philosophy is in
support of Manleys views in the stance that learning should be practical and students must be
provided with relatable experiences.

Overall, this teaching philosophy has served as a guide of my goals as an educator, while I
strive to have a positive impact on the lives that I encounter, while passing on the values and
norms of the Jamaican society.