Teaching Philosophy
While my teaching philosophy is still being developed and I think continue to be during my teaching career.
I think good teaching is adaptable to the group of students you have and inclusive while creating a safe environment for learning and expressing ideas. This will take time but I believe it starts from me being a role model for how I think my students should act and react in the classroom. Ideally this would even stay with them as they progress from my class. Also a teacher should be knowledgeable on the topics that are being taught as well as passionate. This may involve added research on my part to have a thorough understanding of the concepts beyond the realm required by students to answer questions they may have. Being able to convey the information with passion, confidence, and knowledge tends to keep the students more interested and therefore more likely to learn and remember the information. I hope to achieve through my teaching the relaying of knowledge to the students while being as inclusive as possible of all skill levels and personalities. I also believe it is important to remain fair and understanding as I am teaching and being a role model for my students. I think for me to be an effective teacher I need to show interest in what I am teaching and being able to show that interest to my students.
Why Teach?
I started developing the thought of becoming a teacher when I was an assistant coach for a youth field hockey team in 2005. The person I started coaching and have continued to work with since then, is a middle school PE and planning teacher along with athletic director. She has been my greatest role model as I have continued to coach, play, and interact with her within the field hockey community of Victoria. On top of that in the summer of 2005 I participated in a youth development camp at UVIC, which in the end got me a job offer to be a junior summer camp leader, which I returned to since then. These years in working in summer camps and as a coach during high school was very important to me for personal development. I grew immensely in confidence of my abilities such as leadership, working with youth in a positive and effective manner. I have continued to work at the UVIC summer camps and volunteer many hours to field hockey teams throughout the community. Both of these opportunities I am very thankful for and helped me realize teaching is a passion of mine.
Important Lessons
The most important lesson I believe students should learn in secondary school are mainly through relationship; how to work in groups cooperatively, respect others ideas, voice your own in a safe environment, and gain greater understanding of other cultures, religions and beliefs to respect those who are different from you. This can be achieved through lessons. Lessons are the way in which I am able to relay information to the students. This information can be related to any topic. For example, you could be teaching history but also underlying messages can be taught about social situations. At times this message can be made more obvious than others depending on how relevant you may view the message to be. Physical education in some ways will have a fun aspect but also aid in promoting healthy habits but also can help students improve their social skills.
TED talks: Every Child Needs a Champion
Teaching Students
When it comes to teaching students, I think at every school level (elementary, middle, and secondary) the teachers play a very large role in influencing their students. However at the secondary level in western society it tends to be their last stop before they enter “the real world” and the last chance for teachers to do what they can to influence the students to be on their way to contributing members of society. How I think of contributing members of society, are people who can make informed decisions, form their own opinions and are able to use their skills to eventually make a living. Some of the students may already be well on their way to achieving this. School is also where, I believe when appropriate, can help them to understand how the adult world works and treat them as young adults and not children. As teachers we have the ability to be significant role models aiding in making informed decisions, questioning sources, and finding out more information when needed. Also in being able to form their own opinions, with their knowledge and beliefs that they have from their parents, personal, and society. Teachers also have the ability to influence what topics students may lean towards in the future or what skills they have.
Personal Goals
1. I plan to further my coaching certification in Field Hockey and hopefully be able to coach at a Regional and eventually a Provincial tournament. This could prove difficult living on the island since typically Vancouver coaches are chosen out of connivence and availably.
2. Once I have a steady source of income I hope to be able to continue to travel to new places and return to ones in which I enjoyed.
Career Goals
1. Work towards getting a teaching contract, potentially by working as a substitute teaching. This I hope to complete on Vancouver Island.
2. There is also the possibility of working towards getting a position as an Athletic Director or maybe even Vice Principal, but I am not sure if that would be the best fit for me yet.