TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Teaching for me is like a ‘second innings’ in my career. I started my career in Hospitality Management and worked for more than twenty years in the industry. Eventually, I got burnt out or to be more precise lost my appetite. My choice to become a teacher in my late forties was not made lightly. This decision was a culmination of a process of reflection about what I wanted to do with rest of my life. I believe that teachers individually and collectively have the ability to not only change the world, but to improve it. Within the process of teaching, I hope to find both personal and professional renewal.
My teaching philosophy is based on a proposition that “Teaching is about Learning”. This means that to improve teaching I must focus on my learning and the learning needs of the future that will be shaped by today’s students. As an educator, I have the responsibility to help my students learn how to learn. I hope to inspire my students with a desire to learn more on their own. I believe that a positive classroom environment where students are encouraged to express their own ideas and participate in their education experience, can lead to better learning outcomes. Although I stress individual responsibility for learning in the class, I also provide explanation and guidance regarding the course materials and subject matter. I want my students to enjoy the interaction in my classroom and to be challenged by the intellectual discussion of course material. As much as possible I try to make my lessons highly interactive, by promoting students to take input in classroom conversation, and allowing them to converse with each other. Technology is an important part of my work and I try my best to incorporate technology in my lessons for example: showing videos related to the subject matter, using internet for research purposes etc. This can help students to understand a new or a complex concept. I believe that it is very important for the future generation to stay updated with the rapid changes in the world of technology. As teachers we can in many ways make profound contribution in this area.
Another aspect of my teaching philosophy is to embrace the multicultural diversity in today’s classrooms. Treating all students with absolute equality, regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnicity or intellectual ability is very important and in my personal opinion should be considered very seriously. The diverse backgrounds of students enable them to bring to my classroom a variety of ideas relating to the class material. I try to develop a culture of mutual respect in my classroom, where students learn to respect each other and the teachers. I attempt to call on each student by name and to know a little about his or her background. When I know my students, they feel valued and enjoy the experience of participating in my class.
I am very well aware that over the years since I completed my schooling, the role of a teacher has changed immensely. I am prepared to work hard and learn to keep up with the ever changing learning needs of today’s students.
My teaching philosophy is based on a proposition that “Teaching is about Learning”. This means that to improve teaching I must focus on my learning and the learning needs of the future that will be shaped by today’s students. As an educator, I have the responsibility to help my students learn how to learn. I hope to inspire my students with a desire to learn more on their own. I believe that a positive classroom environment where students are encouraged to express their own ideas and participate in their education experience, can lead to better learning outcomes. Although I stress individual responsibility for learning in the class, I also provide explanation and guidance regarding the course materials and subject matter. I want my students to enjoy the interaction in my classroom and to be challenged by the intellectual discussion of course material. As much as possible I try to make my lessons highly interactive, by promoting students to take input in classroom conversation, and allowing them to converse with each other. Technology is an important part of my work and I try my best to incorporate technology in my lessons for example: showing videos related to the subject matter, using internet for research purposes etc. This can help students to understand a new or a complex concept. I believe that it is very important for the future generation to stay updated with the rapid changes in the world of technology. As teachers we can in many ways make profound contribution in this area.
Another aspect of my teaching philosophy is to embrace the multicultural diversity in today’s classrooms. Treating all students with absolute equality, regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnicity or intellectual ability is very important and in my personal opinion should be considered very seriously. The diverse backgrounds of students enable them to bring to my classroom a variety of ideas relating to the class material. I try to develop a culture of mutual respect in my classroom, where students learn to respect each other and the teachers. I attempt to call on each student by name and to know a little about his or her background. When I know my students, they feel valued and enjoy the experience of participating in my class.
I am very well aware that over the years since I completed my schooling, the role of a teacher has changed immensely. I am prepared to work hard and learn to keep up with the ever changing learning needs of today’s students.