My Teaching Philosophy

Will Owens

EDUC 3030/Clemmons Fall 2013

Why do I want to be a teacher? Well, in truth everyone is a teacher whether by intention or by

accident. We all teach by our actions, our words, and our deeds. I want to be a positive,
nurturing role model for my students and foster in each of them the desire to become a well
rounded individual. I want to use what I have learned from my education and my life, to both
mentor students who have already developed a desire for knowledge, and to guide others who
may be struggling to find their way.
I know I will encounter many children who come from richly diverse backgrounds. Some of my
students will no doubt be from families that are much like my own. Others will come to my
class with vastly different life experiences or from cultures with which I am not familiar. As an
educator, I believe it is my role to blend these differences into a new and positive ethos of
learning: building on what students already know, while nurturing their desire to learn even
more. I will do this by recognizing that every child learns differently: that some children will
see the world with clarity, while others may learn from hearing it or will need to feel its offerings
before fully understanding or appreciating them.
My first priority is to teach my students what I believe to be important and what they must know
to be successful academically. However, a truly effective educator should also strive to create a
metacognitive, life-long learner--not just a student capable of reciting facts or performing
operations on demand. To that end, I want to be their guide to discovering new sources of
information, instead of being their only resource. My students will learn to see the world from
many perspectives and to respect and value those viewpoints when deciding what will be
meaningful and relevant to their lives.
My classroom will be student-oriented. The teaching methods I employ will be derived from
research-based, successful models. In addition, I am unlikely to firmly adhere to a single
educational philosophy, but rather borrow and blend from behaviorism, humanism, and
progressivism to create an organic philosophy-- one capable of evolving as I continue to learn
and grow. As a teacher in this technology-driven world, I will find new ways to integrate the
latest innovations with my lessons, and thus empower my students with the tools they will need
to flourish as they become young adults in a changing global economy.
Ultimately, my success as an educator will be measured by the accomplishments of my students.
Measuring their achievement will encompass many methods as I look at each student
holistically. Of course, academic success is often measured by testing content knowledge, but I
will also derive my effectiveness as a classroom leader based on the character growth and social
awareness of my students. I think, my personal and professional growth will be measured by my
value to my peers and the community around me. I look forward to the triumphs of my students
as they fulfill their dreams and become compassionate, caring and engaged members of the
community. When they do, I will proudly say, "Those were once my students- my children.
Now, seeing all they have accomplished, I am proud they once called me, "teacher!"