It is my goal as a teacher to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their personal, academic, and professional life. To this end, there are three points that I always consider in my teaching--children learn from their experience, children learn best when instruction is explicit and interesting to them, and the effectiveness of instruction can and should be assessed constantly.

First, every student is entitled to hands-on learning opportunities to form a basis for their understanding. Students show that they have absorbed new concepts when they independently apply their knowledge to new situations. Therefore, I continuously search for activities that will stimulate the students to engage with the subject at hand and become adept at using what they have learned in entirely new and unexpected situations.

Second, I believe instruction must be explicit and direct, in order for students to understand the goals of any given lesson. Therefore, it is my responsibility to be well prepared and expert in the subjects I teach, so that I will be in a position to communicate clearly. Modeling activities for students is one very effective means of being explicit, as it offers students an example to follow.

 

Third, it is my duty to ensure that I am effective in my teaching by assessing my students. Since students vary greatly in their ability to express understanding, I must use alternative means of assessment, including portfolios and journals. Observation is a critical component of assessment, as it allows me as a teacher to provide on-the-spot intervention for struggling students.

In assessment, I also consider the importance of standardized tests. Students need to develop test-taking skills in order to achieve high scores. Insofar as familiarity with certain preferred formats puts the student in a better position to deal with content, I believe it is important to provide many opportunities throughout the year for students to become familiar with testing methods such as multiple-choice, analogy, fill in the blank, and essay writing.

In closing, I firmly believe that children must have experiences and explicit teaching that work together to guide their development. I believe that teachers must ensure that students are given such opportunities, and assess students regularly on their progress. As a teacher, I share these duties with my students' parents and the school administration, and I therefore welcome open dialogue with any concerned parties. We must work together to ensure our children's personal, academic, and professional success.