“So what have you learned?”, the one question burning in my mind. In my last week of my student teaching experience, my mentor teacher had asked me that very question. I had spent the past six months with her and her prekindergarten class. As my mind raced with all of the possible responses I could give, my eyes landed on my answer: the students.
My students taught me that they learn best when they feel safe and valued as an individual. There was one moment where I had asked a small group of them to point out an object that rhymed with “snake” while singing " Down by the Bay. One of the students, who was non-speaking, had reached for a cake. In that moment, I felt the time I spent with the student, through some of his toughest days, that we had created a safe space for him to participate and grow. In order to create a great learning experience for my students, I will need to make sure they feel secure and valued as an individual learner. From here, I will create opportunities for students to think critically, collaborate with others, and express themselves through their own learning process.
They shifted my perspective on teaching in understanding that I am not the only teacher in the classroom. I learned as much from them as they learned from me. For my future students, I will value my relationship and the trust between my students. I facilitate wonder and curiosity for the world around them. I believe the learning process should feel personal and empowering; education should not feel demanding for a student or leave them feeling disconnected.
One of my main goals for my students is to leave my classroom with a strong love for learning. In order to accomplish this goal, I want to reaffirm to my students that they are capable of anything they put their mind to. This reminds me of one of my students that often struggled with self-regulation. In my time with her, in those moments of weariness, I reminded her that she is brave, she is strong, she is smart, and that I was proud of everything she had done that day. As time progressed, I would catch this student reminding herself of these affirmations and telling me about all of the things she had learned that school day. In addition to a love of learning, my students will also develop compassion and appreciation for differences. Students will see themselves in the curriculum as a mirror, and will see others in the curriculum as a window, and my classroom will act as a sliding glass door to experience and appreciate our differences.
My classroom will be an inclusive, safe, and open environment for all students to contribute to. My students will know that it is our classroom. My classroom will allow for my students to express themselves freely, as I will ask students to educate me and their peers on who they are and their own values. I will foster independence by assigning classroom roles and often allow students to contribute ideas. My students will feel confident enough to make mistakes. In my classroom, my students will not fear making mistakes, as they will see it as a visual reminder of their learning process.
To meet the needs of all learners, I will be sure to keep an open mind that all students show growth differently. Not all students will do great in writing, homework, or tests. This is where I want to give my students the ability to engage with the curriculum in a way that most represents them. My biggest reminder is my younger sister, who is able to convey her learning in a non-traditional way through her art. I will scaffold students by modeling and structured practice such as “I do, we do, you do.”, Additionally, I will offer visual support such as graphic organizers. I will know to release my scaffolding when I see a spark of confidence shine through from my student. For my current literacy intervention student, I knew to release my scaffolding when I noticed her confidence grow in reading and spelling.
My mentor teacher showed me that assessment will never be a single moment, rather a continuous effort. In my field experience classroom, my teacher was constantly taking pictures and documenting the students during outdoor recess, independent play, large group, and small group activities. She also had several notepads and pens laying around and would jot down conversations and things she had noticed between her students. Similar to what she would do, I will analyze this data independently and collaboratively with colleagues to identify strengths between students, possible areas for growth, and possibly what my next step would be. This information will guide how I can place students in pairs or groups, perhaps so they can scaffold each other. The data may also inform if my instruction needs to slow down or if I can continue to move forward. But more importantly, it can highlight who may need extra support, so that I can rely on a multidisciplinary team to provide my students with the highest quality education.
I have always had a profound love and commitment for learning. As a first generation, I value my education and the privilege that I hold. I understand that challenges are inevitable; however, they do not define my worth or who I am as a learner. What I do understand is my response to that challenge will define who I am. I want to hold myself accountable, not only for myself but my students, to remain adaptable. My love of learning will not extinguish, and I will commit to continue my own professional development. These actions will hold me responsible for who I am as a learner, but the educator that my future students deserve.
“So what have you learned?”. Well, I had the privilege to work with 16 incredible, unique learners who all individually taught me who I am as an educator and who I strive to be. Urie Bronfenbrenner once said, “Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her”, and as I was wrapping up my last day with my students, this quote ran through my mind, hoping that at least one student felt unconditionally appreciated.
“Miss Maddy, I will never forget you”, and right there, I knew I that I had accomplished just that.
Select the button above to view my reflection on the writing process behind my teaching philosophy.