Teaching_Philosophy_Essay

My Teaching Philosophy Learning is the fundamental right of every student. To provide this fundamental right, students should be provided the best teachers possible. Teachers should be able to give each student the proper degree of learning, respect to one’s self and others, a well-rounded curriculum and an environment that is nurturing and resourceful. A teacher should reflect a positive attitude toward all her pupils as well as other educators, colleagues, principal and school staff. As a teacher I intend to provide my students and others with all these things. Since I have a specialized teaching program, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL), I will be working with children and adults that come from different backgrounds and cultures. Whether I am teaching students that have immigrated to the United States or I am teaching in their own country, I must always be aware and sensitive to their cultural beliefs and ways. By researching each of my ESL students’ specific backgrounds I can know what they expect of a teacher and how to interact with them. This will do well when having to interact with the parents of my students too. Each child is “an island unto themselves,” but when cultural backgrounds and language barriers co-mingle a teacher must go the extra mile to provide a well-rounded environment so that the student is comfortable and not distracted too easily by unfamiliar things. This is my goal in teaching here in the U.S. and abroad. By providing the proper classroom with the flag of the ESL students, conducting myself as closely to other teachers in their environment, following cultural guidelines (such as bowing) and many other things is what I intend to provide for my students. Though I have not as yet formally taught ESL, I intend to build upon the ESL related literature and knowledge that I will gain from my TESOL training and studies. I wish to provide for my students a supportive learning environment, help them achieve competence in English with meaningful activities that are age appropriate and meet their needs to succeed in learning the English Language. My students and I will both have to face language and cultural barriers, but I believe that through dedication and providing students with a friendly and supportive environment, it will help to reduce the anxiety that can come from learning a new language. As an ESL teacher I must take on many roles such as instructor, facilitator, advisor and cultural informant, as well as a student myself. The role of cultural informant, I will need to provide my students with cultural aptitude for socialization and communication within the American culture. Culture shock can be great for students that are implanted in a new environment (country), as well as the teacher, but together we can teach each other by bridging the more difficult and trying times that culture shock can bring. By becoming an ESL teacher and a student of new cultures myself, my students can see that it is a learning experience for all of us. I must be confident in my role as teacher so that my students will see that I can provide them all the skills necessary to succeed at learning the English language. Through proper instruction that is challenging but fun, my students can become productive and capable of conversing confidently in a language other than their own.