Education and learning should be a life time endeavour where as an individual you are constantly learning and being a part of new experiences. At no point in a person’s life do they stop learning, there will always be something new around the corner.
As a Teacher I believe that it is one of the most important aspects of life to be given a fulfilling meaningful education in your early years of life. To have the opportunity to learn and equip yourself with the skills and knowledge necessary to be an active, productive individual. I base my philosophy of teaching on the notion that everyone deserves the right to an education, the opportunity to achieve to their highest potential. I believe that building meaningful relationships with students and creating a safe and secure environment for students to explore and expand each-others knowledge is a key part to having a successful and long lasting education. A teacher should not be an authoritarian figure at the head of the class but one that helps the development and growth of a student’s mind through social experiences and meaningful learning activities.
The Theories that I base my Teaching Upon
The two main theorists that I base my teaching philosophy upon are Lev Vygotsky and Alfred Bandura. Vygotsky believed that everybody was born with elementary mental functions and that for learning to occur, knowledge had to be imparted by experienced adults to the inexperienced (Bentham, 2002, p. 10). Here it is the teacher’s duty to provide the information and guidance to students to develop their skills and knowledge. Two more important aspects of Vygotsky’s theories is his creation of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Scaffolding. The ZPD is an individual’s capacity to learn and is a critical theory to remember when introducing new information and topics to students (Bentham, 2002, p. 10). Where Scaffolding describes the various amounts of techniques that teachers display as a More Knowledgeable Others to support the learning of their students (Bentham, 2002, p. 11).
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory provides an explanation for behaviours and places an emphasis on the actions of a student’s model. Outside of a student’s immediate family their teacher is one of the biggest role models they will have in their early lives. Bandura’s researched showed that an individual or group of individuals will replicate the behaviour of their role model if that model is rewarded for their behaviour or given no consequences (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010, p. 340). At all times must a teacher be exemplifying model behaviour to the students and be a key role model for their early years of development.
I believe in a social approach to learning, one that incorporates both Enactive leaning and Vicarious learning. Learning through the response of a MKO about you results or though the observation of others is key to my philosophy of teaching and learning.
What would my Classroom look like?
My overall aim would be to create a safe and secure leaning environment which students feel welcomed to enter. The learning would have a social aspect with discussions about what the students are learning to be encouraged. At times there would need to be individual, quiet work to be done and students will be able to recognise when this must occur. The classroom would be inclusive with measured made so that all students are able to achieve their potential within my lessons.
When it comes to the teaching of content to my students it is important to have a balanced approach and follow the Teaching and Learning Cycle. Having ongoing assessment, feedback for the students and forward planning for future lessons is highly important. Unit planning will be based around the four main aspects of the Teaching and Learning Cycle:
· Where are my students now?
· What do I want my students to learn?
· How will my students get there?
· How will I know my students get there?
Behaviour Management
The role of the teacher is to be a facilitator of learning for students. They must create a safe and positive learning environment for students to develop the skills and knowledge needed to become active and productive members of society. My personal style of behaviour management does not fit into a specific bracket however aspects of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Neo-Adlerian Theory are incorporated within it. The importance that ABA places on manipulating the antecedent conditions of a problem behaviour and making changes so that to minimise the opportunity for these conditions to occur again is also key to my own behaviour management strategies (Alberto & Troutman, 2013, p. 13). Controlling problem behaviour should be seen as reducing the opportunities for it to occur, rather than deciding on appropriate punishments once it has occurred. Prevention is the key to my behaviour management planning whether that means certain students should not work together, effective time management or ensuring the students are always on task and engaged with their work.
When there is a need for punishment these punishments must be seen as a direct consequence for the student’s behaviour. It is important that the student understand that the consequences for their actions are directly linked with their behaviour and not just a simply punishment. Creating this link the student should also see their punishment as a fair repercussion for their actions.
Another important aspect of my behaviour management plan is reward. Students should always be rewarded for correct behaviour and for every poor behaviour that is highlighted there should be ten more incidences of correct behaviour brought to the attention of the class. Desirable behaviour from students is always going to be encouraged by receiving a favourable response from the teacher (Porter, 1996, p. 32).
An Inclusive Classroom
Every student has the right to receive an education, regardless of the difficulties and challenges that they may face in the classroom. For these students changes must be made to facilitate their learning. Whist planning lessons students needs and abilities must be kept in mind, changes to activities need to be made so that all students are able to participate an have an opportunity to succeed. The students within the classroom must also understand that everyone has the right to an education and be understanding of other students learning needs.
Connections with the wider community
I personally feel that it is extremely important to build bonds with the community that a school is a part of. Having strong connections with the community can lead to a more enriched learning experience for students as community groups can become a part of the school’s curriculum. It is always great when possible to have groups from outside of the school take the students on activities that may not be as authentic if it was taken by the regular school staff. It is also important to have a healthy relationship with student’s parents. Frequent communication between teachers and parents helps improve a student’s learning experience and allows parents to have a better understanding of their child’s learning.
References
Alberto, P. A. & Troutman, A. C. (2013). Applied Behaviour Analysis for Teachers. (9th ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Bentham, S. (2002). Psychology and Education. Hove: Routledge.
Porter, L. (1996). Student Behaviour: theory and practice for teachers. St. Leonards: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd.
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2010). Educational Psychology (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia.
Alberto, P. A. & Troutman, A. C. (2013). Applied Behaviour Analysis for Teachers. (9th ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Bentham, S. (2002). Psychology and Education. Hove: Routledge.
Porter, L. (1996). Student Behaviour: theory and practice for teachers. St. Leonards: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd.
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2010). Educational Psychology (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia.