Education is one of most important endeavors in a persons lifetime.

While
most institutions see the end goal of education as a diploma, I view education as an
opportunity to reach in and discover a love of learning that transcends grades or
competition.
Piaget has revolutionized the way people and educators think about the
learning process through a constructivist perspective. The idea of a student creating
meaning and understanding for themselves in a fun learning environment can spark
students interest in a profound way. Active participation has deeply impacted my
teaching philosophy by inspiring lesson plans centered on student led-direction and
collaboration. Experimentation in science is the tool for discovery, and my job as an
educator is to spark a fire that moves students to think in a deeper, more fulfilling
way. The method of experimentation that I want to implement involves the ABC
approach, Activity Before Content. This delivery method allows for open inquiry
that requires students to direct their own learning by giving them the materials
without procedure and letting them go. Afterward, we can build off of their own
understanding and introduce connections that tie in with the content.
In addition, Dwecks fixed vs growth perspective has led the way in my
journey as a teacher. I believe that everyone has the capacity to achieve their
greatest potential and go beyond what others expect. This mindset is the key to
major development and academic success in students. If students do not believe
that a goal is remotely achievable, why would they bother trying at all? The growth
mindset proposes that students view difficulty as a fun challenge waiting to be
tackled. I think that giving students science questions beyond the scope of the
classroom will challenge students to push boundaries and work together to solve
difficult problems. These are the kind of challenges students need to face to learn
that obstacles can be overcome through team work and growth. By showing the
students that you trust and believe in them to complete a task, students can begin
to believe that they can too!
I also believe that equitable classroom interactions provide an unbiased
atmosphere and group work that furthers student collaboration and discussion. The
key to diversity and respect in the classroom is to a) show students that their
opinions are valued by allowing them to choose topics they have a special interest
in, b) introduce real world applications that are culturally unbiased, and c) provide
an atmosphere in which high and low achieving students can interact and learn
from one another.
When it comes to evaluation, formative assessments play an important role
in discovering misconceptions in student learning. One type of formative
assessment I plan to implement in the classroom are peer/self-reviews that engage
the students in critiquing and comparing their own understanding as well as other
students. Formative assessments allow us to retrace our steps as students and
teachers. A vital part of learning is that there will be mistakes, and mistakes are a
useful tool for filling in gaps in a students understanding. If the students are made
aware of their misconceptions, they can dissect this belief and disprove it through
active learning. Lastly, formative assessments are also useful in rebuilding lesson
plans to meet the needs of the students who are not grasping the material.