Teaching Philosophy
A teaching philosophy is a statement of intention, a desire. What kind of teacher do I want to be? I want to be a teacher who creates a relaxing, safe atmosphere for my students. I do this by balancing my authority with friendship. I am a "certified representative," a member of a community that I can "invited and encourage them to join" (Bruffee 431). Being encouraging allows me to get my students invested, to inspire passion for their work. Once they're invested, I can teach them.
I create the atmosphere in the classroom as quickly as possible. I chat with any students that arrive early, about anything but school and the class to come. This lets them see me as more friendly than their other teachers, which helps me get them invested. When I have them talking before class, they are more likely to be comfortable talking in class. Once class begins, I don't tell my students what to call me. Though I write my name on the board, words like "instructor," "professor," or "Mr." are all left off. Some students need to use one of those titles. Others are made uncomfortable by the distance a title creates.
When I teach, I try to entertain. If I can make my students enjoy the class, I can get them invested in their work, and I can make them more comfortable with me. So I treat them as much as an audience as a class of students.
When I grade, I try to keep my comments encouraging, infused with an attitude of helpfulness. I want my students to learn by coming from a position of strength. When they start with what they are comfortable, they are more likely to take risks in learning new things.
Once I have receptive students that are comfortable, ready to be invested, and ready to learn, we can get into the actual learning. I can tell them how easy composition really is. I can allay their fears about grammar. I tell them that "I teach writing. Grammar teaches itself." I focus on clarity and audience. They will learn grammar by doing it, "on the job," rather than by being constantly marked wrong. I tell them to read their work out loud. By focusing on making sense, they learn everything they need to learn without realizing they are doing it.
I work with my students on developing their own voices, on writing with a friendly and conversational tone. I teach them to leave the five paragraph essay behind and instead develop structures that work for them, structures they can be invested in.
My main goal is to help my students develop the skills that will allow them to stand on their own. I want to give them the confidence to move forward, to try new things. I want them to enjoy what they do and be invested in their assignments. I show them that all writing is personal writing, or at least that it can be.
That is the kind of teacher I want to be. I want to make my students comfortable, so that they will be more invested and inclined to learn. I do this by creating a student-centered classroom. Once they're invested, they can learn how to speak, and write, for themselves. Essentially, I can make it so they don't need me anymore.
Last Modified Wednesday, 28-May-2008 08:32:13 PDT
