Assignment 1
Philosophy of Teaching
I have reflected upon my teaching philosophy several times while upgrading my certification, and I have always found the task somewhat difficult, almost like having to choose a favourite song. I never found that I fit definitively into one category or another, and instead had to decide which philosophy I agreed with most at the time. I found taking the Teaching Perspectives Inventory to be interesting, in that it gave me new insights into my personal philosophy, as well as being itself an efficient tool and use of technology.
My teaching career has been quite varied, from teaching in remote one-room schools, to inner city schools, to international teaching. My students have been extremely diverse in their cultures, religion, and economic status. I believe that my teaching philosophy has been informed by this experience, but that I have also carried a consistent philosophy to each new situation. The TPI has made it clear to me that I approach teaching from the Apprenticeship perspective. This, combined with my (mostly) student-centred and constructivist philosophy can be clearly seen in how I structure learning in my classroom. While researching teaching philosophies I found that I agreed with most of them, and that most had important parts.
My recessive perspective is certainly Social Reform. Having started my teaching career by teaching students of quite different cultural upbringing from my own, I came to understand that trying to change their culture would come at the expense of other learning and of possibly my job. In other words, it was made clear to me that I was not there to change the culture, but to teach skills. I have embraced this and have worked hard to master not only the content knowledge but the pedagogical content knowledge necessary to teach effectively. I do not agree with Social Reconstructionism. I personally do not believe that we should be using our platform as teachers to push our own cultural views or social agendas. This has become extremely popular with teachers lately, and I feel it has been to the detriment of fundamental content knowledge and instruction.
The other three categories, being Transmission, Developmental and Nurturing are also very important, and I believe all necessary to creating a classroom environment that promotes learning. Students need to feel safe in a classroom before they can effectively learn. In addition, students bring many strengths and weaknesses into the equation. In some circumstances a humanist approach may be strongly beneficial, perhaps in areas where students’ basic needs are not being met. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs informs us that students need to feel belonging before higher level learning can take place. Yet, in other schools, a humanist focus may be seen by parents as unnecessary and perhaps even as overstepping your role as a teacher. My strong Developmental perspective score also reminds me that I also believe in pushing students to achieve their maximum potential and promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and personal growth.
In researching overall teaching philosophies, a new philosophy label that I encountered was Eclecticism. This resonated strongly with me, as eclectic educators draw from a variety of teaching philosophies and methodologies. They choose the most appropriate approaches based on the needs of their students and the subject matter being taught. As these teachers prioritize flexibility and adaptability in their approaches, I felt that this label describes me best. When thinking about my teaching philosophy going forward, I realize that each new teaching situation involves many factors, including the subject material, cultural needs of the students, attitudes of administration, and availability of resources. These must all be taken into consideration when planning for instruction. I agree with Bates (2022) on the fundamental approaches for effective teaching, and realize that I have an eclectic, yet student-centred approach to teaching. I am continually updating my best practices in conjunction with the needs of my students, and the tools available to me as a teacher.
References:
Bates, A. W. (Tony). (2022). Teaching in a Digital Age: Third Edition – General. In pressbooks.bccampus.ca. Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev3m/
McLeod, S. (2023, July 26). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
SHULMAN, L. S. (1986). Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14. https://doi-org.ezproxy.tru.ca/10.3102/0013189X015002004
Teaching Perspectives Inventory. (2019). Teachingperspectives.com. http://www.teachingperspectives.com/tpi/
lpeter
September 24, 2023 — 10:55 pm
Geoff,
“Flexible and adaptable” is a great description of teaching in today’s classrooms.
I like that you highlighted the need to consider a wide range of variables when deciding how to approach a class – from the cultural framework of your students to the availability of resources. It sounds like you are willing to meet people where they are – not just your students, but also their families and their communities. I also appreciate that you wrote about structural pieces that I, for one, overlook when thinking about my teaching context: the school, its resources, and its administration. These things definitely impact how I teach.
Thank you so much for your perspective!
Lenna
hwinsnes
September 25, 2023 — 9:22 am
Hello Goeff
I agree that the potential for harm is real when teachers start to teach about their cultural and social beliefs. One example of the potential harm is Jim Kegstra. Jim Kegstra was the mayor of Eckville, a deacon, and a teacher in rural Alberta. From 1968 to 1982, he led his students to ‘his light’ where “He taught his classes that the Jewish people seek to destroy Christianity and are responsible for depressions, anarchy, chaos, wars, and the Jews created the Holocaust to gain sympathy” (James Keagstra, 2023). When Keagstra’s teachings ‘came to light,’ he was fired and stripped of his teaching certificate. He fought this decision because he believed he was right, and everyone else did not have the truth.
This situation highlights that although teachers are appointed to lead and guide students, the educational system must hold all educators accountable. As a teacher, I have my truth, which is very different from Jim Keagstra’s, and I feel it is the truth, but I am aware that many other people would disagree with my truth.
James Keagstra. (2023). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Keegstra
glammie
September 26, 2023 — 3:11 pm
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for sharing. Your thoughts highlighted and reinforced that our teaching practice is not only dependent on our viewpoints and approach but also that the cultural needs of our students, administrative culture, and the resources available to us significantly impact our strategies and overall approach to teaching. I believe that to remain relevant and effective in today’s diverse classrooms; we must be “Flexible and adaptable” and maintain a neutral stance to not impose our cultural and social perspectives onto students.