Sparking Curiosity.
Teaching
Teaching Philosophy
My mission is to create a safe learning environment that celebrates collaboration, learning, and growing. Upon arriving at this place, students should feel welcomed and surrounded by other friendly, kind, respectful peers and teachers. In the learning environment, there should be an abundance of student engagement in the form of discussions and participation. Technology is used in the classroom as a tool for learning, not just a means of entertainment.
In this classroom, group work is done often, to further introduce collaborative learning. However, the unique individual needs of each of the students is not forgotten, but explored in group learning. My goal is for students to go from being reliant on others to being independent, curious learners, who strive to do well for themselves and not the approval of others.
Pedagogy // Activities
I point out the concept of having learning be through group discussion and collaboration based on natural curiosity. Even though learning information is a way to learn, it is important to engage with the information and challenge it. In my classroom, I will not teach students by having them memorize information to be repeated. Instead, I will harness thought, curiosity, and discussion.
The Four Corners activity introduces discussion well for young students. The concept of this activity is to allow students to choose a corner based on an opinion or trait of theirs. For example, I could ask the students who’s favorite color is blue, red, green, and purple to go to respective corners of the classroom. Once in the corners, pair-shares can be done on why they like the chosen color. If facilitated well, there could even be debates across the room leading to students changing their corner based on opinion change.
Four corners helps promote my beliefs of participation, engagement, and cultivating curiosity, as stated in my teaching philosophy. Four corners encourages participation by being a fun game of inclusion. Students are encouraged to engage with the topic and with each other through pair share. Four corners also cultivates curiosity by questioning beliefs/opinions in order to switch to a different corner.
Curiosity sparks the flame, but teachers keep that flame alive to cultivate life long learning.
The motivation to learn must come from natural curiosity, not the desire to please others. Students have to want to learn. The role of teachers is to keep that motivation to turn into life long learning.
— Teaching metaphor