What is your teaching philosophy?

Through the classes I have taken at the University of Phoenix and my experiences in the classroom, I have developed a personal teaching philosophy that will always be implemented into my future classrooms. I am continually being prepared for an inclusive classroom, and either way, I will look at the students' needs and prepare lessons accordingly. One of my goals is to use preventive and supportive behavior strategies more than corrective. I hope to achieve this with engaging lessons and clear expectations. Another goal I have for myself is to be objective to all the students. For example, if there is a need to correct student behavior, after the punishment has been fulfilled, I plan to give the student a fresh start and treat him/her the same as other students. From my educational experiences, I know how valuable teacher encouragement and motivation are for personal motivation. I intend to motivate students while teaching them to be intrinsically motivated through challenging yet supportive lessons and assignments. I believe it is also important to help the students develop their social and interaction skills, and I will do this with various work and activities. As an educator, I believe my philosophy and teaching styles may change throughout my teaching career, and I want to remain receptive to suggestions and open for improvement.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

I feel that the first session with your child is needed to get to know them and have a chance to just talk. I think initially, it's about building rapport, and first impressions are key. I want to make sure I am someone your child feels comfortable talking to. I will ask about life at school, about interests, about TV shows, anything that excites your child. I want your kiddo to know that I am listening and thinking about the things that interest them. I want to laugh with them and let them feel comfortable with me. I will spend time efficiently. When we get to the subject at issue, I want the conversation to be very general. I want my students to do most of the talking. I want to hear what sort of language they use to talk about where they're struggling and where they're comfortable. I am someone who will help them help themselves solve problems. We will work through a couple of specific problems together. I want to orient my students toward underlying concepts and, even more so, toward process. These foster independence, and that is my ultimate responsibility. I will not come with a lesson plan the first day. No matter how much a parent and I might talk about a student and his or her challenges beforehand, in reality, I know virtually nothing going into the tutoring situation. The most important thing we need to know at the end of day one is whether we can work together. Day one is about the fit and how successful we can be as a team.