My emerging philosophy is
primarily centred around building positive learning relationships with
akonga. I view these relationships as
the key to unlocking and embracing strengths of learners. Fostering these
positive relationships is an integral part of helping the learners in my
classroom to feel accepted and valued as members of the learning community. As
identified in a range of literature, learners are most successful when they have
positive relationships with their teachers (McGee & Fraser, 2008;
Carrington & MacArthur, 2012). Building respectful, collaborative relationships with learners is
something I feel strongly about. I aim to know each of my students individually
while also sharing things about myself. It is important to build a safe
classroom environment based around mutual trust and respect. (Carrington &
MacArthur, 2012). In my teaching role I want to be an advocate for my students.
I will help them to recognise their strengths and overcome challenges. I see
significant value in being an empathetic and genuinely caring teacher. I want
learners to know that I care for them (Noddings, 1988). I want them to feel
safe, looked after and important.
Practicing from an inclusive discourse (Skidmore, 2002) is another key
component of my emerging philosophy. I want the students I work and learn with
to be able to have access to, and benefit from, education no matter their race,
culture, beliefs or abilities. Diversity is something I view as
worth embracing and celebrating. I
believe education should provide an opportunity for young people to build
strong academic and social foundations so that in the future they are confident
in doing what they aspire to do. It is my responsibility as a teacher to
be inclusive and provide learning opportunities for all. I will promote inclusion and equity in
the classroom. I will not assume what a child is capable of, or what their
abilities are, based on the colour of their skin or their socio-economic status
but will have expectations that every child in the classroom will achieve and
achieve highly. I think it is valuable for me as a teacher to be knowledgeable
about our indigenous Māori culture and how I can teach in a way that is
inclusive of kaupapa Māori (Macfarlane, 2004). I value authentic use of Te Reo
Maori in the classroom and am continually developing my knowledge of the Maori
culture to ensure Maori learners can achieve as Maori.
My philosophy is about
putting learners at the centre. It is about recognising and honouring the whakapapa, history, passions, culture,
interests, sexuality, family and knowledge of each learner. Putting the
learner at the centre is about valuing and being responsive to what each student
brings to the classroom. It is
about encouraging learners to think for themselves in a critical and creative
manner. Knowing and understanding the children we work with will help to engage
them and spark a passion for lifelong learning (Ministry of Education, 2010). The
vital part of facilitating a classroom in which learners are at the centre is
ensuring I give learners a voice and sense of autonomy. I want learners to feel
confident in sharing their knowledge and expertise. I want them to be able to
bring who they are to the classroom every day. I want Maori learners, and
learners of other cultural backgrounds, to be proud of their cultural heritage
and not feel that they have to leave their rich cultural backgrounds at the
school gates. I feel it is integral that
learners understand the concept of ako and that there will be many
opportunities for them to teach me something new (Alton- Lee, 2003; Ministry of
Education, n.d.).
Another significant
aspect of my philosophy is my drive to ensure that learners have a holistic
educational experience. I want my classroom to be a place in which akonga can
develop their physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural and social potentials. I feel that all types of knowledge are
reliant on each other. They need each other to be functional. Children need an
education that helps them become well-balanced, well-rounded individuals.
Education should not merely be about preparing children for the economic world
of careers and the workforce but should also have a strong focus on preparing
them for the complexity of the social world. As identified in Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs model, if a learner’s basic needs, such as physiological
wellbeing, safety and a sense of belonging, are not met that will hinder a
learner’s ability to engage in critical thinking, creativity and problem
solving. It is evidence such as this that underpins this aspect of my teaching
philosophy. Ensuring learners have opportunities to develop in all areas of
their lives is something that will be in the forefront of my mind as I begin
practising as a classroom teacher. Teaching in a way that recognises the
learner as a whole is culturally responsive and is something that all learners
can benefit from (Bishop, Berryman, Cavanagh & Teddy, 2009)
Ensuring learners are given
meaningful learning experiences is another aspect of my emerging philosophy.
Providing students with opportunities to make real world connections is
engaging and encourages the development of skills required for lifelong
learning. The philosophical underpinnings of experientialism connect well to my
own personal philosophy about learning. This philosophy is supportive of the
fact that the world is continually changing. It emphasises the relevance and
importance of social interactions in learning. Experiential philosophers such as John Dewey asserted that
learning is context dependent (Dewey, 1916). This is definitely something I believe
is essential to be attentive to as a teacher; circumstance, place and time are
all factors that influence whether a child is learning. There is a strong
emphasis on the idea that learning is ‘doing’. Learning is about experience and
participation. Children should not be passive receivers in the face of
education, but be active learners (Dewey, 1916)
I believe that to be the best teacher I can
possibly be it is essential I engage in critically reflective practice. I
acknowledge that my own practice is influenced by my experiences and
assumptions and, in order to practice effectively, I must challenge these
assumptions. In order to ensure optimal
learning outcomes for the students in my class, I utilise the teaching as
inquiry cycle to recognise specific needs and improve my practice, I engage
with and critically analyse the literature and I engage in reflective dialogue
with other education professionals. As I continue on my teaching journey and develop
my skills in reflective practice I expect that my philosophy will adapt in some
aspects and strengthen in others.
References
Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Quality
Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration
[BES]. Report from the Medium Term
Strategy Policy Division. Wellington: Ministry of Education
Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T., & Teddy, L.
(2009). Te kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori
students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5),
734-742. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2009.01.009
Carrington, S., &
MacArthur, J. (2012) Teaching
in Inclusive School Communities. Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy
and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York:
Macmillan.
Fraser, D., & McGee, C. (2008). The
professional practice of teaching (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic:
Thomson Learning Australia.
Macfarlane, A.H. (2004). The value of Māori ecologies
in the study of human development. In W. Drewery and L. Bird (Eds), Human Development in Aotearoa: A journey
through life (4th Ed., pp. 38-42). Auckland: McGraw Hill.
Ministry
of Eduation. (2010). The role of the Principles - Putting Students at the
Centre. Retrieved: 07/11/15 Retrieved from: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-resources/NZC-Updates/NZC-update-3
Ministry
of Education. (n.d.). The concept of ako. Retrieved: 07/11/15 Retrieved from: http://tereomaori.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-guidelines/Teaching-and-learning-te-reo-Maori/Aspects-of-planning/The-concept-of-ako
Noddings, N. (1988). An
ethic of caring and its implications for instructional arrangements. American journal of education.
215-230.
Skidmore, D. (2002). A theoretical model of pedagogical
discourse. Disability, Culture and Education. 1 (2), 119-131.
