Teaching Philosophy
My Philosophy of Teaching: “Keep Them Coming Back for More”
Having come from a teacher’s home, my view of teachers is one of highest regard. My mother would always say, “there is no profession without a teacher,” so I grew up knowing the impact a teacher could make. Teachers are the beginning of a child’s future and have a great responsibility. Teachers are the second line of defense, after parents, who keep students safe, cared for, knowledgeable, and prepared for the future.
Type of Teacher I Want to Be
I want to be a teacher who keeps high standards but remains flexible and understanding. By giving clear and consistent goals and feedback, I will help students challenge themselves on their instruments. By keeping high standards, I can help my students feel accomplished in the classroom. Interviews with a current teacher has taught me that helping the class see each other as team members, helps the teacher. The teacher then becomes a coach and mentor, not only a teacher. I want to be the teacher who is knowledgeable about my subject matter, the best I can be, so I can offer them my best, but more importantly, I want to know about my students. All that I know will not help them if I do not know how to reach them. I want students to want to be in my classroom because it is a place where they can let their talent shine.
Plan to Create a Positive Environment
Plan to Foster Positive Student Teacher Relationships
The best way to create good student/teacher relationships is to value the student. Though music classes tend to be large, taking the time to reach a student with a positive word, or a heartfelt, “I’m sorry,” when they are going through a negative experience, lays the foundation of approachability. Having after school practices and concerts to prepare for offers opportunities to see the struggles of students and address those. A half page journal each week that has two things, this was tough and how can your teacher help, could help me understand if a student is struggling in class or personally. Having this knowledge can also change my future lesson plans for a class. If we need to work on rhythm, harmonics, shifting, etc., I will know that and plan accordingly.
Another part of creating a successful student/teacher relationship is taking the orchestra places. Trusting large groups of students in large environments will create a positive relationship. Students want to see rewards from their hard work and taking them out of the school environment is a positive way they can experience a tangible reward. Giving concerts in larger venues, such a Disney, working with other teachers in all counties, all district, and state honors orchestras, all help students see their teacher as willing to go the extra mile to give them a life experience, not just a classroom experience. I also plan to be present in the students’ school lives. I will take the time to see their soccer game, tennis match, golf tournament, and debate team competition. I will acknowledge them when I am walking in the hallways and be sure to chat with them, even if it is just small talk, to positively foster our relationship. Being honest is another way I plan to grow my relationship with my students. Admitting when I am wrong, telling them if the passage they just played was terrible, and having good and truthful reasons behind everything I do and say are ways to earn respect and trust from my students. Students cannot easily trust and grow a relationship with a teacher who is deceitful and blames others for their wrong doings.
Creating a positive environment for students is a must to keep students wanting to learn. Children are often damaged by the world we live in and having a safe place to go to during the day can be a life-saver for students. My classroom will be filled with positive experiences, a place where students can be celebrated for small and large accomplishments. I want to have a board that comes from the saying “Nailed It,” and at the end of each week, students will write something for the board, and we will “nail it” there so they can see that something great happened each week. Students will also celebrate each other. I will model the type of affirming and positive attitude wanted in my classroom. I want my class to always look for the positive accomplishments happening with their peers and celebrate those. Like the last child to reach the end of the heat in swimming with the entire deck of swimmers and parents clapping, I want that for my classroom. Students don’t have to be the best, but they do have to give it their best effort.
Giving students leadership/serving roles is a way to create good interactions between students and their peers. If students have “jobs” in the classroom, and are given small responsibilities, they feel needed and important to the working of the classroom. Having a whole leadership team of students who interview to get the positions is one way to encourage responsibility and commitment; not only will students be more active in the classroom, but the interviews and extra responsibilities also teaches the students great skills and practice for their future job interviews and for their careers.
Plans to Positively Impact and Contribute to School and Community
Coming from a small town, our band/orchestra was the “hit” of the town. I want my orchestra to be loved by its community. Parents must see the importance of the orchestra and want to contribute. The best way to do this is for my music groups to give back to the school community. Having orchestra members attend a Friday football game with matching t-shirts, working the concession stand, helping direct traffic, all these things are ways of bridging programs and making students and teachers bond and support each other. Having the orchestra members work for other musical groups on campus handing out programs, seating people, etc., are all ways of reaching the school community. Also, when it is president’s/principal’s appreciation day, sending a musical card via video could help bridge gaps between administrators and faculty. To reach the community, the community needs to see the orchestra at community events, tree lightings, parades, playing before board meetings, etc. In whatever way I can get the orchestra to be in front of people, to be seen as an integral part of their celebrations, it will be advantageous to my program. Having chamber groups play in assisted living facilities, as I did, is also a way of saying my school has something special, and we want to give back to the community.
Creating an Inclusive Environment
In my classroom, I plan to make everyone feel included and important. I will try my best to create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Students in my classroom will not be allowed to speak negatively of other students. From our first day of class, students will be taught how to work with others. Students who have different learning abilities will be given a mentor or classroom friend to guide them through rehearsal. I will program music that is culturally and socially diverse and teach lessons about the cultures that enhance the meaning of the piece for the students which will create a more authentic and truer to the culture sound when we perform it. I know I am not as capable as others to teach about cultures I have never experienced, so I will always be open to bringing in an expert that can better teach the students the history and meaning behind the piece they are performing. Working with language teachers on certain pieces could enhance my instruction. One of the best things I can do to create an inclusive environment is to make sure everyone feels safe and unashamed to be who they are as soon as they walk into my classroom. I plan to create an open environment, one that is not afraid to ask questions, to be present and involved, and one where people are not judged. To help students have the same chance to succeed, I will schedule times for lessons given either by peers or myself. Having one on one time in lessons with the students is a great way to further our connection and it will give them motivation to practice more and participate more in class.
Teaching is not just a profession; it’s who we are. My hope is to teach students they are valuable, and they have a place in my classroom. I want them to always “come back for more.”
