-MATHEMATICS EDUCATOR-
WILLIAM J. STREMPLE
Philosophy of Education
As an educator, it is my goal to facilitate the learning process, produce effective members of society, and entice students to engage in the process of becoming life-long learners. In every course and semester, I aim to engage and motivate learners to pursue and become enamored with their own learning. It is my belief that if students are concerned with their learning, rather than external motivators (i.e. grades, parents, etc.), they will attain a deeper level of understanding and learn to appreciate the benefits of continuous learning.
In order to facilitate the learning process, I attempt to follow Weimer's (2002) seven principles of guiding learners and the role of the teacher: (1) “teachers do learning tasks less, (2) teachers do less telling, students do more discovering, (3) teachers do more design work, (4) faculty do more modeling, (5) faculty do more to get students learning from and with each other, (6) faculty work to create climates for learning, and (7) faculty do more with feedback” (p.82-90). I will revisit each of these principles and how they factor into my teaching throughout this piece.
Another goal for myself is to educate future teachers in the art of teaching. By pursuing this goal, I aim to produce effective members of society. I want to change the way teachers educate students and have an impact on student learning. Young students are the future and deserve and need the same, if not better, education that I was offered. In my opinion, education is the most important piece of the social construct. I hope I can influence others to join this great profession and increase the number of effective teachers that enter the workforce in the years to come.
IFrom www.uco.edu
I view educating teacher candidates through an apprenticeship perspective (Pratt, 1998). “In this perspective, teachers are expected to embody the knowledge and values of their community of practice” (p.43). I truly believe that potential teachers can only learn to be effective teachers when they are engaged in actual teaching. This hands-on experience prepares them for the unpredictable nature of teaching. No matter how much planning goes into a lesson, there is always something that can go different than what you expect and the only way to learn to deal with this is by experiencing it first-hand. Because of my strong beliefs in relation to this topic, I will to implement the practice of more classroom teaching experience in whatever teacher education course I prepare.
In several interviews I conducted, I found three roles students in teacher education programs want to have with regards to children; “to influence learning attitudes, to contribute to society in a more direct way, and to make a positive difference for students” (personal communication, November 2013). This motivation to help others and influence future generations is one of the best parts of teacher education. It is what motivates teacher candidates to persevere and continue to improve upon their teaching practices. Effective teachers are not content with how they are teaching, they are constantly looking to change instructional practices and find alternate ways to approach different topics.
Knowledge, in regards to teacher education, lies in the successful implementation and combination of several theories, strategies, and styles. There is no 'one size fits all' model in the teaching profession. Instead, it is up to each individual educator to form his/her own mold to effectively educate and influence others. In the context of effective teaching, knowledge is broken into several categories: content knowledge, theories, strategies, learning styles, and personality. A teacher must have a thorough understanding of the content knowledge he/she is teaching. This, however, is not enough. A teacher must also have sufficient knowledge of the theories and strategies of effective teaching.
The most effective teachers engage all learners by using different strategies and introduce or represent things in multiple ways. In mathematics, there may only be one correct answer, but teachers should have several different approaches on how to reach the answer in order to cater to individual learning needs. This leads into knowing how students learn and the best teaching strategies for each style of learning. Although I believe that students need to develop strategies for learning in multiple ways, it is important to preface this advanced learning by creating a safe learning environment
described by Weimer's sixth principle. In this learning environment, students should feel like their opinions and views are valued. The learning should be presented initially in a context they can understand and relate to and then gradually move to different styles. I would use this approach to encourage students to venture out of their comfort zone and be accepting of all styles of learning.
Students that want to be teachers learn in a variety of ways just like other students. The difference is in what the learning process should entail. Prospective teachers need to have as many opportunities as possible to be in an actual classroom practicing teaching. Teachers become better and more effective by trying out different theories and strategies to see what works and what doesn't. Most students enrolled in teacher education programs are eager to participate in these learning activities and relish every moment they get to help other students learn.
As a teacher of prospective educators, it is my job to prepare them to become effective educators and facilitate the learning process. Not only do they need to be competent in their teaching, but also develop a reflective process and professional development plan for them to engage in lifelong learning. Learning to teach is a continuous process because an effective educator should never be content with what they are teaching. One should always be looking to improve upon and modify teaching methods to best meet the needs of students year in and year out.
When teachers are able to focus more on the instructional design of a class, it benefits the learners. In a learner-centered environment, “activities and assignment become the vehicles by which learning occurs” (Weimer, 2002, p.85). By designing activities with a learner-centered approach, I hope to accomplish the following goals: (1) engage students in authentic situations of teaching, (2) motivate and engage students to further pursue teacher education, and (3) incorporate activities and strategies that improve content knowledge and skills. With these goals in mind, I will effectively plan strategies and activities that will prepare learners to become effective teacher candidates.
According to McKeachie and Svinicki (2006), problem-based learning “is based on the assumptions that human beings evolved as individuals who are motivated to solve problems, and that problem solvers will seek to learn whatever knowledge is needed for successful problem solving” (p.222). In this model, students work in small groups and the teacher acts as a facilitator that guides the learning process and provides valuable insight into the problem or solution. This is in conjecture with Grow's stages of self-directed learning (1991). As facilitator, the instructor “participates as an equal” while students engage in “collaborative small group work” (p.1).
Project-based learning fulfills two major criteria: “students must perceive it as personally meaningful” and “a meaningful project fulfills an educational purpose” (Larmer & Mergendoller, 2010). These two criteria motivate students and engage them in the learning process. Using this strategy in the classroom has students actively learning, which research shows, leads to better retention. Not only does project-based learning motivate students to learn and work collaboratively, but also exposes them to alternate methods of instruction. With good modeling of this strategy, it can motivate prospective teachers to use this strategy in their own classrooms.
Michaelson and Sweet (2008) offer their insight on the effective uses of team-based learning strategies. “The primary learning objective of TBL is to go beyond simply covering content and focus on ensuring that students have the opportunity to practice using course concepts to solve problems” (p.7). This method once again shifts the responsibilities and roles of instructor and student to that of “facilitator and involved” (Grow, 1991), respectively.
The shift in the role of the educator from “The Expert” to facilitator (Grow, 1991), allows educators to provide more feedback as well. Weimer's (2002) seventh principle states “more time, energy, and creativity are devoted to finding and using mechanisms that allow the constructive delivery of feedback to students” (p.90). These strategies do not decrease the teaching load, but rather shift the focus of teaching to the learner. Instead of time spent instructing students on something they can discovery within groups, the teacher is able to provide feedback on certain elements of the learning process. Each of these strategies aims to guide student growth towards becoming self-directed learners. Effective educators exhibit this characteristic and also engage in lifelong learning. By employing these strategies, among others, I will be preparing teacher candidates for a long and successful career.
Bain (2004) explains “teaching is not just delivering lectures but anything we might do that helps and encourages students to learn – without doing them any major harm” (p.173). With these goals and beliefs as an educator, I hope to provide students with a learning experience that will influence and alter their views of education. With Bain in mind, I will continue to internalize my own teaching style and grow as an educator to best serve my students.
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Some strategies that I employ as an educator include, but are not limited to: problem- and project-based learning, and team-learning. Weimer's (2002) first, second, fourth, and fifth principles play a large role in my choices for effective teaching strategies in my classroom. These strategies have many potential benefits for prospective educators. They require students to work collaboratively and effectively to accomplish a goal or develop a solution. In the teaching profession, collaboration is an important part of becoming an effective teacher. When teachers can discuss ideas and practices with other educators, they are able to devise styles and strategies that are appropriate in all contexts.
From asiasociety.org