Teaching Philosophy
Quality history teaching is when a teacher can bring the subject to life, and show their students how events from the past have shaped today. If a teacher cannot bring the subject of History to life then it transforms it into one boring story and date after another. When the teacher can make the subject come to life and show how events are interconnected, then the student can begin to see the importance of studying History.
Finding ways to relate the material to your class can often be a challenging but necessary objective. Understanding that every student comes from a different background is essential to being a realistic teacher. Not all students care about what you are trying to teach, furthermore not all students learn the same way. Having a basic understanding of your students as individual people can prove very valuable when you are trying to find ways of relating your subject to them. Once you can identify where they come from you can then adjust your approach in order to facilitate their development, and also to motivate them.
A teacher’s responsibility to the student is to do their best to inspire a hunger for knowledge, and success. Giving a student a date or story to memorize is something that all History teachers do, but it is a special teacher who can inspire a student to thirst for lifelong learning, and drive for success. If a student can walk away from high school wanting to learn more about the world he lives in than that student got out of high school what all should. The most important lesson a kid can learn is to always strive for greatness, anyone can be mediocre but being great should be the goal.
I want to shape students’ lives in ways they won’t forget. I want them to be inspired to become lifelong learners. I want them leaving my classroom understanding their potential and ready for the struggles of adulthood. By building self esteem and helping students to realize their potential I believe I will be doing them a great service that will last them well beyond their days as a student.