This teacher platform details a few of my beliefs. In this document I address the purpose of schooling, the image of the learner, the nature and substance of the student work, the image of the teacher, the image of the curriculum, the preferred pedagogy, the preferred school climate, and the social significance of the student's learning.
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Teacher Platform
The purpose of schooling
- To provide a haven for students.
- To provide a place safe from violence, or ridicule.
- To provide a place for students to explore the questions they have about life.
- To provide a place for them to be able to prepare for the future.
The nature and substance of student work
- I believe that student work should have a purpose in relation to the student.
- I believe student work should not be busy work.
- I believe student’s work should relate to their lives and to school curriculum.
- I believe student work should either benefit the teacher to better teach or should benefit the student to learn.
- I believe student work can be anything from a class discussion, to a project, to a paper, to a test, and anywhere in between.
The social significance of the student's learning
- I believe that the learner is a bulletin board with an exorbitant amount of preconceived knowledge, values and beliefs, all super glued to the learner.
- I believe no two learners will be alike.
- I believe that students don't just receive information but they can also dispense it.
The image of the teacher
· I believe the teacher is a mentor, and his or her responsibility is to present information in a relevant manner and to be open enough about the information to discuss its content and purpose.
· I believe the teacher should always be learning.
· I believe that when the teacher stops learning he or she is no longer teaching, but simply divulging preconceived beliefs as facts.
· I believe the teacher learns from his or her students, colleagues and personal past.
· I believe the teacher is there to enhance the life of his or her students, either with formal instruction or through love.
The image of the curriculum
- I believe that curriculum is information that should be presented as such and should never be presented as ultimate knowledge.
- I believe curriculum is the information that is presented to the students in order to improve their quality of life.
- I believe curriculum is used to help aid students in their future.
- I believe curriculum should be fluid enough for the teacher to be able to mold it to fit the needs of his or her students.
The preferred pedagogy
- I believe inquiry-oriented instruction is most effective.
- I believe students learn through discovery, and by taking chances and making mistakes.
- I believe subjects should not be taught in complete isolation, but instead, should overlap in instruction.
The preferred school climate
- I believe the school climate should be student centered.
- I believe faculty should work together in aims of improving the quality of life for the students.
- I believe discipline should only be used as the last resort; any other time classroom management should be used to defer undesired behavior.
- I believe there should be a high level of school pride because there should be a high level of self pride.
- I believe the school will not be predictable because people are not predictable.
- I believe interactive learning should always be the goal; therefore things may not always be orderly.
The social significance of the student's learning
- I believe students' learning should aim toward providing students with a clear understanding of the culture in which they live, as well as the culture into which they were born. This will help promote citizenship and the pursuit of social justice.
- I believe citizenship and the pursuit of social justice are important in the society in which we live. Yet, one is not more important as the other.
- I believe the students should be given the information necessary for them to determine a career path. Therefore, they are will be socially and economically relevant to society.
