Throughout my life, thus far, I have made it a point to help others. I have always actively participated in service organizations and I find great fulfillment in community service. For about three years, I participated in a volunteer program rehabilitation mentally and physically disabled children. From this experience, I learned the importance of patience and being available to serve a variety of needs. In my opinion, being a teacher, in part, means being a servant to our students; being able to provide them with whatever skills and knowledge they need to be successful. I think this concept of service is a necessary foundation when becoming a teacher.
Include, v trans.: To contain as a member of an aggregate, or a constituent part of a whole; to embrace as a sub-division or section; to comprise; to comprehend
In our current cultural climate, multiculturalism and multilingualism is a reality of every classroom. As a teacher, I have to be prepared to teach in a classroom that is linguistically and culturally diverse. Drawing from my knowledge and experience with ESL learners, I believe that creating an inclusive learning environment is vital for the development and achievement of both ESL and mainstream students. It is imperative that my classrooms project an environment that is based off of cultural awareness and acceptance. By incorporating multiple cultures and languages into my classroom atmosphere and lesson plans, I hope to build a friendly, supportive learning environment that is mutually beneficial for both ESL and mainstream learners and will boost my students' learning ability. This philosophy is based upon Krashen's "Active Filter Hypothesis" which states that anxiety, stress, or tension may hinder a learner's ability to learn (Krashen, 1982). ESL and mainstream learners will benefit from engaging in a globally inclusive classroom because they will be more willing to participate and focus on learning if their heritage/language is accepted and appreciated.
Enthusiasm, n: The principal current sense: Rapturous intensity of feeling in favour of a person, principle, cause, etc.; passionate eagerness in any pursuit, proceeding from an intense conviction of the worthiness of the object.
Another foundational building block required to become an effective teacher is a true enthusiasm and love for the students, learning, and the content. Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated with the English language and literature. I have an extensive (and growing) collection of novels, philosophical works, and anthologies that express my passion for English. However, I think that an excellent teacher takes it one step further and expresses not only a love for content but an eagerness to learn. Through this eagerness, I feel that I would be able to create a dynamic, safe and active learning environment through which my students will be able to learn. My own passion for learning will also help to set a positive example for my students and encourage them to learn beyond the material. This is a vital part that is missing in many children’s education today. Through my enthusiasm, I hope to engage my students and transform them into critical thinkers and masters of the content area.
Influence, v trans.: To exert influence upon, to affect by influence. To cause to flow in; to infuse, inspire, instil.
The final piece in my personal teaching foundation is the desire to be a positive influence on our children and our future. Personally, I feel that teachers have the most power to enable change. It is both a gratifying and humbling responsibility to take on. In my earlier years as a student, I never truly thought that my teachers had an influence on my life or my ideas. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I truly felt the strength, support and inspiration that so many of my teachers had provided me. I realized that year that I wanted to spend the rest of my life helping to inspire students to achieve in all aspects of their lives – academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.
I feel that these foundations can be attained through positive relationships with my students and a constant continuation of my own education. Without a solid knowledge base, I cannot hope to provide my students with the education they need and deserve, nor can I hope to enable any sort of positive change within their lives. This also hinges on my relationship with the students. I feel that it is critical for a teacher to have a positive, open relationship with their students and to gain the respect and trust of their students. This includes being available whenever needed, creating a comfortable classroom atmosphere that encourages open discussion, sharing and creativity, and being a reliable source of support. Throughout my teaching career, I hope to continue to build onto these foundations, making my classroom and myself more effective in providing my students with a life-style centered philosophy on learning.
