My Teaching Philosophy

As a teacher, your job is not only to teach, but to also inspire and encourage your students. It is so important to encourage students to share their ideas and opinions. In order for students to feel comfortable to express themselves, you must create a safe space, an inviting community of sorts in order to inspire children to be themselves. In order to create this safe space, respect is key. Respect among students, respect from the teacher, and respect for each other.
               My view on teaching social studies is somewhat of the same principles. In order to create worthwhile learning, students must know the importance of aspects such as respect and ownership in the classroom. So much of social studies is presented in daily life which allows it to be a very influential topic if you teach it effectively. Group work especially is very important in a social studies classroom because it develops individual accountability, social skills, group processing, and positive interdependence that not only apply to group projects, but also apply to learning as a whole. If students can’t develop these skills, it will be very hard for them to succeed in their adult lives. Since most concepts of social studies follow students into adulthood, it is crucial for students to create a deep understanding of these concepts early in their education rather than later.

               As a teacher, I realize the importance of social studies and the crucial role it plays on our lives. The subject of social studies represents our past, present, and future; therefore, students have the right to learn about it in our classrooms and develop a strong understanding of its importance. In summary, learning inspire students to grow and be the best they can be. If an environment is nurturing, encouraging, and provides choice, students will only better themselves as learners and grow into their best selves.