Andrea Kaifesh

Dr. Crumbaugh

Ed 310

17 June 2004

My Personal Theory of Teaching

Part II

            Though our journey through summer one has quickly come to an end I have had the opportunity to explore my personal beliefs as a teacher.  Teaching has always been a passion of mine, but I now have a better understanding of why that is.  I have had very positive influences in my life who have taught me the value and importance of education.  My parents, former teachers, and even the young children in my life have all contributed to my desire to teach. The theories and concepts learned in this class give me insight about how these role models have impacted my decision to become a teacher.

            There are three social influences when it comes to learning; parents, peers and teachers.  My parents have set high standards, expectations, and positive examples that have been a driving force throughout my course of education.    “…adolescents with authoritative parents are more likely to respond to peer pressure to do well in school and less likely to be swayed by peer pressure to use drugs, or alcohol, especially when their friends also have authoritative parents…”  (Woolfolk p315)  My parents have always taken mine and my younger brothers’ schooling very seriously.  Both my mother and father have been very active in our learning; they are parents who have always been involved.  The social influences my parents provided pushed me to work to excel.  The support and involvement of both of my parents in my school work taught me the value of education. 

            The support my parents showed gave me a sense of worth.  Their actions and methods of parenting fit into Bandura’s social cognitive theory of learning.  “Our interpretations of the consequences create expectations, influence motivation, and shape beliefs.” (Woolfolk p317)

The atmosphere in my house taught me that education is something to be proud of and excellence is something to strive for.   I was taught to put school first on my list of priorities.  The time my parents spent with me on school indirectly taught me how important schooling really is.  It was something they thought they needed to pay attention to; therefore I picked up on similar attitudes. “Parents can teach and support self regulated learning through modeling encouragement, facilitation, and rewarding of goal-setting, and good strategy use…” (Woolfolk p470)  Because of this life lesson, I understand and appreciate the value of education and how important it is to have “expert teachers” in our schools.  As a teacher I hope to pass on the same respect and appreciation for learning my parents promoted all of my life.

            In elementary school teachers had one of two reputations.  There were those who children hoped for, and those who children would do anything not to get.  Thinking back I always seemed to be blessed with expert teachers.  I have had teachers who, through their teaching methods, have instilled in me a high level of intrinsic motivation.  I have had teachers who helped me to see reasons for learning and the value it provides.  Theses teachers have used a combination of the four approaches to motivation.  Teachers who focused on the behaviorist approach relied mainly on external rewards such as incentives, awards, and even food to push students to do well.  Teachers who focused on the humanistic and cognitive approaches stressed personal understanding and personal growth by constantly forcing students to evaluate their own progress.  Teachers who relied on the sociocultural views were more likely to place us in groups and stress the importance of group work.  These teachers helped me to be the self regulating learner I am today.

              I traveled through elementary, middle school, high school, and even college with a few of the same students.  It is interesting to compare my willingness to learn and work in school, as well as children who shared my same teachers to those students who had the other elementary teachers.  In general those of us with the good experiences are more likely to be excited about school and have a stronger will to do well.  I truly believe that positive, motivational teachers in the early school years can make all the difference in the world. 

            I realize that I have been extremely lucky throughout my K-12 experience.  My school years have been filled with very positive, influential teachers.  Whenever the question arises of who your favorite teacher is, I always find it hard to decide.  I can think back to my twelve years in grade school and I feel I have gained something valuable from each of my teachers.  There are a few high school teachers who I do not think so highly of, but for the most part, especially during my elementary years, I have been very fortunate. 

            The teachers I have had all demonstrate the different theories of learning through their teaching methods.  Those whom I remember as being the least effective seem to be teachers who relied exclusively on the behavioral learning theories.  These teachers acted more as managers or supervisors of our learning.  The information was being told to us rather that taught to us, and learning occurred through dull, repetitive drills.  The teachers whom I remember as being influential can most definitely be described as constructivists.  The constructivist teachers, both Vygotskian and Piagetian, acted more as guides on our quest for knowledge rather than directors.  They are the teachers who challenged and guided us to a higher level of understanding.  At the time I did not realize this how important these teachers were.  I even remember thinking to myself, “Mrs. Wagner does not really teach anything, we do all the work and she just pushes us along.”  In high school this frustrated me but I now realize that she was allowing us to construct our own knowledge.  Mrs. Wagner is a perfect example of a constructivist teacher who takes Vygotsky’s theories and applies them to her teaching.  In her class we were constantly involved in group activities and discussions that led to a better understanding of the material being covered.   I attribute my successes thus far in school to the attitudes I learned early on.  It is my hope that in becoming a teacher I can have the same impact on students as mine had on me and become that construction worker who constructs knowledge. 

            I believe that elementary teachers are some of the most important people in young children’s lives.  It is proven that they spend more waking time with children than the majority of parents.  Elementary teachers have a huge impact on a child’s life.  It is here in the lower grades where children are still being shaped and molded into little people.  These are the years where the foundations of education are formed.  In later years everything is based on what you learned from elementary school; from reading habits, to study habits, to an appreciation of school, it is elementary school that provides the basic core.  I believe that in promoting a positive learning environment children are more likely to learn.  “Successful (classroom) managers create more time for learning, involve more students, and help students become self managing.” (Woolfolk p396)  Teachers who give learning a purpose are more likely to produce students who understand that purpose and therefore, try harder.  When education is seen as something to value, children will be more likely to want to learn.  Every child needs to feel important and able; this sense of responsibility allows them to know that what they do matters.  If a student has something to strive for they are more likely to attain higher educational goals.  A good teacher creates this sort of atmosphere of positive learning.  It is my hope that I will be able to have a similar impact on my students so they can carry the habits they form in my class through the rest of their lives.

            I plan on being a teacher who incorporates all of the learning theories and teaching methods into my curriculum and uses each for its individual benefits.  Children are unique learners as teachers are unique teachers.  I want to be a teacher who celebrates diversity and embraces each student to reach them in the best way possible.  I want to be the constructivist teacher who guides my students to new levels by allowing them to take part in the learning process.  I am aware of my strengths as well as my weaknesses and I will use this knowledge to the best of my ability in being the best teacher I can be.

            The theories and concepts of educational psychology have further sparked my interest and excitement for teaching.  My parents and teachers have taught me an appreciation for learning that I hope to pass on to all who surround me.  My passion for the craft and drive for success are things that I hope will lead me to my goal of becoming an expert teacher.  I firmly believe that children are the future of today; everyone starts out as a child.  Teachers have the power to create something great inside of children and I want to be one who helps build that fire.  So they say that those who can, do…well I believe those who can do better, teach!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Woolfolk, Anita.  (2001).  Educational Psychology 9th edition.  Boston: Allyn and Bacon.