Kelly J. Taylor Tiller
My Teaching Philosophy
Being a teacher means taking on the (nearly impossible) task of getting to know dozens of children well enough to understand how they learn, then to meet their learning needs with information, guidance and encouragement. Along with this undertaking, a teacher should also expect to be a counselor, coach, friend, enemy, advocate or enforcer whenever his/her vocation demands it. To this end, it is important that I, a future teacher, understand these ideas:
· I should learn what research has said about the children I will teach. Using these theories as a basis, I should also be flexible enough to throw them out the window when my students prove them wrong.
· I should never forsake the network of caring fellow teachers and parents that make themselves available to me. In them I can find comfort and encouragement, as well as honest reproach and inquisition. I should never feel like I am the only one dealing with particular problems with my students, though support and solutions to those problems may be outside of my teacher-parent comfort zones.
· I should take care of myself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. If I don't, how can I be healthy enough to help my kids?
· I should be prepared to laugh, get angry, be silly, and be quiet in my classroom. If it will help students learn and is not to our detriment, I should not be afraid to do it.
Lastly, I must see myself as one of the foremost advocates for my kids - but not the only advocate. With the help of caring parents, willing teachers and administrators, and others, I should do what I can to encourage them to continue learning and growing. I need to focus on the fact that my job is to do what's best for them, not the state, not the principle, not the parents, not my co-workers. I should expect that to be very difficult.
Please also
see my philosophy on Special Education.