Sunday, November 16, 2014

And That's My New Philosophy

    So here it is my last blog for EDUC 4P19. Throughout this blog I have shared some of my views on education and the New story, as well as posing many questions that I still need to work to answer. I have definitely learned a lot about different curriculum approaches and various teaching styles, including what I want to do and not want to do in my classrooms. What I have done is added to my philosophy on education.
     Last year in my drama in education class we were asked to explain our philosophy on education and present it in a creative way. I chose to make a video and compile clips from some of my favourite speakers, movies and TV shows to express the different parts of my philosophy. I broke it down into key words and phrases to express what I value in education and how I want to teach.  
   Here is what I pinpointed for my philosophy:
Equity
 “Equity speaks to differentiated instruction—to teaching and supporting students in ways that will allow them to benefit from equal opportunities” (Lundy). Students are individuals and have different needs; as a teacher it is important to try to appeal to the multiple needs so that everyone has a positive experience and the gaps of equality are filled.
Individuality
 Individuality is a part of my philosophy because it is important to recognize that all students are different and this should be celebrated.
Multiple Intelligences
All students need to have the opportunity to thrive, and to do this we need to teach towards the multiple intelligences that exist within the students.
Learn through Practice and Learn through Experience
Learn through practice, I believe that through hard work and practice goals can be met, and the work that is produced is of a higher quality. Learn through experience, is what I see as taking the experiences you have had in life and having them influence your future and present actions.
Take Chances and Make Mistakes
Within education, as both students and teachers, it is important to be willing to take chances and make mistakes. Without taking chances we will never grow and we will just become stuck. Taking chances can lead to positive experience and push you places you have never gone before. Making mistakes is also necessary in progressing in life. We learn from our mistakes and sometimes, what we see as a mistake can turn into a beautiful gift and work of art.
Support and Community
Support helps form the community within the classroom, where students can rely on each other and build a strong bond.
Inclusion
Inclusion is one of the largest parts of my educational philosophy. Everyone brings different experiences and talents to help the class. One person is no better than the other, and creating an inclusive classroom helps create the support and community.
Worth
 I felt it important to include worth within my philosophy, as all students should feel as though they are worthy. They should feel more then the grades they receive and feel like they can make a difference in the world. Having the students feel like they have worth can make all the difference in their confidence and lives.
Inspiration
I hope I can impact students as much as my teachers have inspired and influenced me. I want to inspire them to follow their passions and strive to complete their goals.

This is all that I included last year, and now I have more to add.
KDB
            Realizing the KDB of the curriculum will help structure the lessons and incorporates the 21st century skills with the big picture ideas. The KDB works to create good citizens and well-rounded human beings, and that is what we should strive for as teachers.
Backwards design
            This is more of a practical aspect of my philosophy but important nonetheless. Backwards curriculum design I believe is a great way to form lessons and get the big picture learning to come through.  It allows me as a teacher to be creative in the final assignment and move away from the classic essays and power points that we have all had to deal with.

 21st Century Skills: technology, critical thinking, problem solving, project based learning, and collaboration.
          The 21st century skills are the largest part of the new story. I want to include all of these skills into my lessons as they are more student centered. I as a student preferred to learn with these tactics and they allow all intelligence's to thrive. It keeps the learning relevant and works with the skills many of the students will already have.
Assessment of learning, Assessment for learning and Assessment as learning
         Assessment whether it is done by the teacher or by the students is still a large part of the educational process. These various types of assessment bring in new assessment tools and work into the process at various times. Assessment of learning is usually a test at the end of a unit and this can help show the collective knowledge that was gained. However there is a push for a large emphasis on assessment for learning and as learning. These are more student based and take part during the learning process. These work into learning from practice and experience as well as taking chances and making mistakes. We need to learn as we go and it’s OK to make changes or realize where you need to improve.

    So this is my expanded and ever growing philosophy on education. This class has taught me about the curriculum and more practical aspects of teaching, which has enhanced my beliefs and has taken me one step closer to being a confident and successful (fingers crossed) teacher.

   Attached is the video I created for my drama class last year that I described above. In the video Education is the Key is repeated as I used a key as a metaphor in part of my philosophy but for the sake of the blog that part is not as necessary. I do apologize, it is quite an amateur video but I was attempting to use technology in a way I never had before. So enjoy how I see my educational philosophy and what people shows and movies have influenced me outside of the classroom.



  Thanks for following me on the journey in Education class as I take one giant leap closer to my future as a teacher. 

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