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Teaching Philosophy Statement

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My perspective of teaching has drastically changed within the last year due more exposure to formal and informal educational settings. Currently, I am volunteering in third grade class (where the majority of students are middle class) and working at a middle school (where majority of students have free or reduced lunch). My experiences at both locations, in addition to my past work experience, has vastly contributed to what I have come to value in an exceptional educator. Through observation and reflection, I have developed ideas for what aspects I wish to incorporate in my future teaching and classroom. Some of these aspects are the purpose of structure, teacher to student connection, and more emotional support for teachers. As an aspiring …show more content…
Transparency means that I can see students for who they are and where they come from and vice versa. At the middle school I work at, there are many times in which teachers and students misunderstand each other. I have observed that these misunderstandings accumulate; students feel their side of the story remains unheard. Symbolically, not hearing a student’s side, or perhaps not even recognizing it, is as if the student himself or herself is not being acknowledged. Fortunately, I am in position where I can play the role of a teacher as well as a friend. I worry that I may lose this when I officially become an educator. I have heard teachers say, “You are their teacher, not their friend”. However, I have also heard from others that teachers play a variety of roles – a nurse, parent, and etc. I wonder where the lines are drawn between teacher and friend. I hope to gain a better understanding of what being a teacher and friend may look like …show more content…
Educators have a great responsibility bestowed upon them – teaching future generations. I have observed the plethora of duties that a teacher must perform on a daily basis. In the words of the third grade teacher – it is a draining amount of work. She told me that she felt so exhausted one day that one of her co-workers helped take over her class for a period of time. Additionally, I have noticed instances in which teachers may react harshly to students misbehaving. I have also found myself in this situation at times. Teachers are human beings and like any other human being, are affected by all aspects of their lives. I hope that by the time I become a teacher, there are more resources for teachers to receive the support they need. I also hope that I find that co-worker or support group when I feel drained from the duties of

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