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Teaching philosophy statement

I am Nadia S. Seecharan; I live in a


rural community on the outskirts of
Princes Town. I am a mother of two
children a girl aged five and a baby
boy who is about to turn two. I am
a dedicated wife a trustworthy
friend and a hardworking teacher.

It has always been my dream to


become a teacher and I am
embracing all of the knowledge,
hard work and skills necessary to
make my dream into a reality.

My hope as an educator is to instil a love of learning in my students, as I


share my own passion for learning with them. I am compassionate, strong
and dedicated individual who is excited about working with children.
Students should be not only be given a solid education, by their teacher; but
their teacher should also be aware of and sensitive to their individual needs, I
will always strive to be that person and to become the best educator that I
can be.

I will try my utmost to help my students to develop a deep love and respect
for themselves, others and their environment. I believe that this can be
achieved by acting a guide and facilitator which will allow the childs natural
curiosity to direct his/her own learning, also creating a scheme of work that
is based on the students interests and is relevant to their life. Units of study
and lessons would be planned with the input of students and the generating
of their ideas and their goals. We will all work together to achieve them.

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What are my expectations for my students individually and as a class?

My expectation for my students is that:


Every child would be open to using new and innovative learning
techniques in my class.
Have faith that they can learn in my class, because I will ensure that
differentiation is used to meet the needs of all learners.
Students will show consideration, respect and empathy towards their
peers and class property.
My class will be actively involved in the class discussions, decisions
and policies.
Students will develop into confident and independent individuals,
through consistent routines.

What is my role in helping my students meet or exceed my


expectations both epistemologically, theoretically and practically?

My role is to create strategies to help my pre-schoolers develop holistically by


integrating my lessons and creating an environment that is; welcoming,
hands on, stimulating and age appropriate. This will be done by ensuring
that I have learning centres that students can interact, explore and examine.
They will use open ended activities (emergent learning) to develop their fine
and gross motor skills as well as their questioning and problem solving skills.
Students will be given opportunities to interact with learning materials, in a
fun and engaging manner that will build their self-worth, thinking skills and
develop problem solving skills.

There will be a positive collaborative relationship, between parents, teacher


and child to ensure that each member can learn from each other and help
the child to succeed.

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These are some of the theories used in my class:

Jean Piaget (1896 1980)- Piagets theory states that students learn by
their experiences, in my class children are exposed to this types of
learning, according to the University of Arkansas McLendon K. (2011)
they list these methods that can be used in the classroom:
1) Use actions and words when giving instructions (it should also be
short)
2) Use an assortment of visual aids and materials when teaching
3) Use the childs own experiences as a teaching tool
4) Children need lots of hands on practice/experience
Vygotsky (1896 1934) - This is another theorist that is implemented
in the classroom. His theory was an extension from Piagets theory.
Vygotsky came up with the concept of zone of proximal development
(ZPD) this theory stated that students learn subjects best just beyond
their range of existing experience with assistance from the teacher.
(Schunk, 1996) This concept is used often in ECCE classrooms; we
help children to build on previous knowledge by scaffolding them.
Maria Montessori (1870-1952) - Maria Montessoris learning theory is
the a huge part of ECCE curriculum, it supports the child to learn by
having access to learning materials and exploring those materials
independently, the teachers role is simply to observe and guide. The
Montessori Method is based on the fact that she (Maria Montessori) felt
that children can learn from their own curiosity and learn life skills to
help them to become independent learners.
Howard Gardner (1943) - This is where we incorporate the
differentiation in the classroom. Gardners theory of multiple
intelligences is used when planning lessons in my classroom. Gardner
(1999) believed that there are eight intelligences these include;
linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial
intelligence, musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence,
naturalistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal
intelligence Davis K. et al (2012). By using a variety of activities we can

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try to identify which is the childs strength or preference and try to
build on it.
Froebel Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel (1782-1852) - This theory developed to
help teacher training programs geared at developing the child through
play. He believed that children learn best in a prepared environment
where they can explore and is guided by the teacher to support the
learning.

Through these theorists, we have found some things that are common, these
include, learning through play, observing rather than directing, self-
motivation and preparation of age appropriate environment/ activities. All of
these theories are used in my pre-school class and I have seen the progress
of the children, I will continue to use these methods and learn new methods
that can benefit my children.

Which factors in my classroom most impact the students learning?

Being a pre-school teacher the factors that have the most impact on my
students most are:

Learning through play, this is done by providing them with the


necessary materials to develop their thinking, problem solving, social
and creative skills by using hands on materials.
The use of storytelling as a method of interaction, questioning and
recall
I acknowledge their accomplishments and compliment them when
necessary. I also try to motivate them by giving those encouraging
words and assistance.
Treating the children with respect, I try my best to empathize with the
children and respect their feeling and emotions.

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How do I know that learning outcomes/objectives have been achieved?
What assessment methods are used?

In my class I use observations, which is I have found to have little intrusion


in the childrens activities. These observations are recorded on a daily basis
and include the development of the child intellectually, socially, physically
and linguistically. Based on the observations a checklist of skills is also used
as another form of assessment. Childrens work is collected throughout the
term and I create a portfolio that can show the progress of the childs
development, these portfolios are shared with parents at the end of the term.

Technology Integration
How would I and/or my students use technology?

These are some of the ways that my students and I use technology in my
classroom:

Computers: Students are taught about the parts of the computer and
how to use it by interacting with it and guided by the teacher. Math,
science, language, music and physical education are taught using the
computer. Children interact with games, stories; you tube videos,
interactive videos/sing along, letter tracing activities and colouring
(using the mouse).
Listening devices: cd players are used for listening to stories and
rhymes and songs. Music is played for action games and physical
activities/movement.
Voice recorders/video recording: Students discussions play and
learning activities are recorded, stored and shared. These recordings
can be used for assessment of progress and to identify behavioural
issues.

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Virtual gaming: The use of the television and Nintendo WI is used, age
appropriate games teach physical education, math, language and
healthy habits(social-studies/science)
Old hardware: Old telephones, computers and radios are used to teach
children about how they work, students can also try to dismantle the
hardware and put it back together. These activities build fine motor
and gross motor skills.

What value if any, will technology add to your class?

The use of technology would add value to my class, since technology based
learning caters to all different types of learners (Multiple Intelligences Theory)
Howard Gardner (1943). It increases the engagement of young students in
the classroom and helps teachers to develop unique learning environments
for children Steinhoff A. (2016).

Children become very excited when they see a computer or a video about the
start, their attention is held for a longer period of time and their ability to
recall is better using the technology.

The technology will be beneficial not only for the students but also me, as it
can be used for planning lessons, storing students records, assessments and
sharing the progress of students online Steinhoff A. (2016).

What barriers exist?

As much as we would like to use technology every day in our classes, there
are barriers that hinders our plans, these include;

In order to use technology in the classroom, you must have some sort
of training on how to use it, computer classes are expensive and
schools do not offer any incentive or reimbursement for staff training.

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A lack of resources- my school does not have a computer lab; therefore
I have to use my personal computer, which is connected to a smart
television to view anything. Internet access is also unavailable
Time to plan lessons that has technology integrated in them is an issue
when you have to deal with an already packed curriculum.
While I would find that technology based learning is beneficial to the
child, other staff members may not, therefore it become difficult to
integrate when there is no administrative support or assistance with
the technical aspects.
How might my role change from my current practice?
As a professional teacher who is always trying to improve my skills in the
classroom, especially when it relates to experimenting with new methods of
teaching, I can see my role changing. If I want my students to use technology
in my classroom then I have to model the behaviour, my students must see
me using technology if I expect them to use it.
The more that I use the technology, the more confident I will become,
therefore I will experiment with new methods of learning and assessing in the
classroom. The more that the students are exposed they would also become
more competent and the teachers role would not have to be teacher driven
but to empower students to guide their own learning by scaffolding students
and working within their "zone of proximal development" (Vygotsky 1978).

How might my students role change from their current practice?


My students roles will be changed from rote learning to experimental and
inquiry based learning, the use of technology can help this to become a
reality. Students will become more involved and responsible for their
learning. Saxena S. (2013) states that, Inquiry-based learning encourages
learners to be active participants in their own learning, rather than being
passive recipients of knowledge. Children can explore the technology and
expand their knowledge.
The use of technology will also help the students to learn to work together,
since there is not enough equipment for every child, they will have to work in
groups, and they will be exposed to collaboration, teamwork, ethical
considerations and problem solving skills.
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References

Lane C. The Distance Learning Technology Resource Guide. Retrieved on

04/07/2017: http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

Steinhoff A. (2016) the Use of Technology in Early Childhood Classrooms

Retrieved on 04/07/2017: https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/use-

technology-early-childhood-classrooms

Kellow J. (2016) Guided Inquiry. Retrieved on 05/07/2017

http://www.inquiringmind.co.nz/Guided_Inquiry.htm

Saxena S. (2013) Use of Mobile Technology for Inquiry-Based Learning

Retrieved on 05/07/2017: http://edtechreview.in/trends-

insights/insights/832-use-of-mobile-technology-for-inquiry-based-learning

McLendon K. (2011) Jean Piaget, Cognitive Development in the classroom

http://www.funderstanding.com/educators/jean-piaget-cognitive-

development-in-the-classroom/

Davis K. Christodoulou J. Seider S. and Gardner H.(2012) The Theory of

Multiple Intelligences Retrieved on 05/07/2017

https://howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/443-davis-

christodoulou-seider-mi-article.pdf

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