Jessica Drife

Educational Philosophy
February 3, 2015
I believe that teaching is best done by allowing students to discover truths for themselves.
This applies to both mathematics and English. Allowing students to experiment with numbers,
shapes, and theories, guiding them to reach conclusions for themselves will make mathematics
more personal and will allow students to take pride in their knowledge and discoveries. Group
work and class discussions on literature and peer editing of papers will help students grow in
English. Peer interaction is important because the students can build on each others knowledge
to end with a heightened degree of understanding.
In both math and English, more so in math, there is also value in lecture. When lecturing,
I believe in breaking material up into chunks, checking for understanding along the way rather
than a long lecture with questions at the end. These brief lecture times will allow me to guide the
learning process, keeping the class on track and ensuring that they are fully understanding what
they learn.
In addition to basic understanding, I believe in mastery through practice. Students will
regularly have small assignments and larger projects throughout the semester. Writing
assignments will be key in English while homework problems will be given almost daily in
math. I believe in varying these assignments to try and reach as many learning styles as I
possibly can to promote student mastery.
I understand that I will encounter many types of learners in my classroom. I believe that
all students, regardless of circumstance, have the ability to learn and that it is my job to foster
that learning through my classroom environment, my teaching style, and the various forms of
practice and evaluation I use.
I recognize that my students will be people, not just empty containers that I need to fill
with knowledge. While my classroom will put learning first, I will also strive to make it a safe
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Jessica Drife
Educational Philosophy
February 3, 2015
environment in which the students are comfortable with themselves, me, and each other.
Regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or background, every student will have my
respect, and I will do my best to help them learn and grow both academically and I hope
personally.
Kids spend so much of their time in schools that it is part of the teachers job to promote
respect and good decision making. These things should not be inherently taught but should be
furthered by the atmosphere of the classroom, my expectations for myself, and my expectations
for my students.
I believe that in creating such an environment, I will be setting up a solid base on which
my students can best build their knowledge. I am passionate about my subject areas and believe
in the content that should be taught. In English, learning how to write clearly and persuasively,
learning how to correctly follow English grammar rules. In mathematics, the skills required in
each course of math will build on each other and must be taught and mastered.
In both subject areas, I also believe in teaching my students to think analytically about
what they are learning. Both subjects incorporate skills in logic and deductive reasoning. These
skills can also help the students in everyday life. Math is not merely learning how to solve
equations or memorizing theorems; it is learning how to think, how to look at a problem or
question, analyze it, and draw from existing knowledge to solve it. I believe learning these
thought processes is important in learning the content and will be more useful for the students in
the real world.
Along with that comes the base knowledge. If the students know how the thought
processes work but cannot put them into practice, there is no mastery. Mastery requires both
concept and practice.
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Jessica Drife
Educational Philosophy
February 3, 2015
To learn these concepts and put them into practice, students must be engaged. This allows
them to take possession of their learning and to treasure it. In allowing students to discover their
own knowledge, it becomes a source of pride. I believe in a system of learning in which students
discover knowledge through activities, group work, or other various exercises; have this
knowledge affirmed through class discussion or lecture; then gain mastery through both guided
and independent practice. This system was highly effective in some of my favorite teachers
classrooms. This is because such a system takes learning from being passive to being active.
Learning must be something students do rather than something they sit through.
Varied types of teaching will allow for mastery from all learning styles. There is no
ideal learning style just as there is no ideal teaching style. Different types of learners can
complement each other in the classroom when learning cooperatively.
This once again brings up the point that no student is superior to another, and this has to
be made clear in the classroom in order to promote an environment conducive to learning.
Students must feel that they are able to learn freely, without harsh judgment or criticism from
their peers or from me. There is no embarrassment in getting a question wrong if the student is
truly trying. The students must respect each other and me in order to create this environment.
Otherwise students will be afraid to volunteer answers, and checking for understanding becomes
much more difficult.
To further promote this learning environment, students must be given adequate personal
space for lecture times and individual practice. This will make them more comfortable and
focused and will cut back on the temptation for disruption. Transitions from one activity to
another will allow for short brain breaks which will also help the learning environment.

Jessica Drife
Educational Philosophy
February 3, 2015
Students should be comfortable in the classroom, but this does not mean that
management is lax. By maintaining a level of respect, I hope to keep control of the classroom.
Respect trumps fear. If students are afraid of me or my discipline plan, it makes me less relatable
to them, and the fear and stress will interfere with learning. This does not mean that students can
act out or do as they please. If there really is respect, then the classroom rules will be followed.
And in keeping that respect, I will have to follow my discipline code. I believe all of these things
will allow the classroom to function as smoothly as possible and will promote learning in the
best possible way.
Promoting learning is important because students come to school primarily to learn. At
the high school level, students are being prepared for the world, whether that means finding a
job, raising a family, or going to college. Learning the basic content is and has always been the
primary purpose of school.
The amount of time students spend in school, however, makes it just as prominent in their
lives as their home life. This means that school is also a place to foster and promote social
growth on top of academic growth. These values need to be encouraged and expected in every
classroom and in non-academic aspects of school. This further prepares students to play active
roles in society after graduation.
Students come to school to learn: to learn academically, to learn about the world and how
to live in it, and to learn about themselves. As a teacher it will be my job to promote all of these
learning processes to the best of my ability through my teaching style, the way I reach out to
students, the environment I create in my classroom, and the goals and expectations I set. If
students fall short, I will make every effort to be understanding and remedy the gaps in
knowledge or development.
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