| 5th Grade Cougars |
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| Ms. Dicara |
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My Philosophy of Teaching
Education is the process of teachers guiding students through the acquisition of fundamental content knowledge, problem-solving strategies, positive social development, critical thinking skills, negotiation skills for constructive conflict resolution and life-long learning proficiency. Through education children are given the resources and opportunities to develop and grow into successful functioning members of society. The educational tradition is to establish, then continuously stack the building blocks to develop a solid foundation for an extraordinary adulthood.
Teachers often experience the challenges of working with a fast-paced curriculum, finding it necessary to move on to the next lesson before all of their students have mastered the skills of the current lesson. It is imperative to plan an introductory lesson that captures the student’s attention and provides them with hands-on opportunities for investigations. It is also important for teachers to be innovative in planning activities for students to have continuous practice with particular skills. Without opportunities for practice, skills can be replaced or even lost.
Every child deserves a positive and memorable educational experience. Students deserve to be taught in the manner in which they learn best as an individual not as an entire class. I have learned and chosen to recognize, accept and respect all of my student’s individuality. I have also chosen to teach to meet my student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. As a teacher it is my responsibility to develop lesson plans based on the experiences and important aspects in my student’s world. Prior knowledge and past experiences allow children to make connections with the information and skills being presented. Through valuable investigations students are able to construct their own learning, gaining authentic understanding, an avenue for retention and ultimately meaningful learning. Through valuable investigation students also gain new experiences and additional knowledge which provides them with the tools to make connections towards future learning objectives.
It is my goal to establish a student-centered classroom community, where my students are engaged in active learning experiences. I hope to plan lessons that will utilize all of their senses and ignite their curiosities as they unlock their minds to a world of discovery. I hope to develop and guide a classroom of private investigators and scientists that learn through daily explorations and discoveries, a class that is not only focused on the destination, but also on the journey.
I believe it is important for students to work in cooperative groups, gaining an appreciation for what each other has to offer. I hope for my students to acquire a desire for group success, realizing we are all working together towards one common goal and we can only reach that goal if we all, as a class, reach that goal. I hope for my students to learn that we all have unique ideas, experiences and opinions, and it is through sharing those ideas, experiences and opinions that we all grow, learn and truly triumph.
There is nothing more pleasing than the expression on a student’s face that very moment when they ‘get it’. When they see how they came up with the correct answer and know they will continue to come up with the correct answer each and every time. It is an honor to share that feeling of pride and achievement, regardless how long the process may have taken.
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