Effective teachers need to establish a firm set of beliefs about students’ development and learning and about teaching. They are constantly learning about students, different ways to teach them, and about the subject matter. Effective teachers need to be comfortable enough with the subject matter in order to help the students understand better. Different students learn in different ways, so the teacher needs to be able to use a variety of different teaching styles and techniques so as many students as possible can be reached. Students are more likely to learn about topics that interest them. Effective teachers use creativity to motivate the students and get them interested in whatever it is that they might be doing or discussing that day.
I believe education should teach students the skills needed to think on their own. With new technology that is ever-changing, students need to be problem solvers. By this I mean that they are willing to continue to work on a problem in spite of barriers. They will try several strategies to solve the problem. This is important because the problems they will most likely face in the future are non-routine problems without one correct answer.
I believe all student need to feel comfortable enough in the classroom to try out their ideas. I believe that they will often need the help of their classmates, along with individual time, in order to solve some problems. Students need constant support from the teacher, their parents, and the community.
In order for the students to be in the mind-set to learn, their environment must first be a safe and knowledge-nurturing one. A safe environment will result from the following four rules: 1) Respect yourself and others, 2) Respect all classroom materials, 3) Come prepared to learn, and 4) Do your best. These rules will give the responsibility to the students to make the right choices. Each young person needs to feel that they are genuinely welcome and important in the classroom. This type of environment will allow the students to relax and open their minds to learning.
I will follow the Illinois Learning Standards and the curriculum set up by the school. In addition to the curriculum, I believe group and interpersonal skills need to be taught and practiced. If no emphasis is put on the students’ abilities to live, interact, and communicate with one another, then I feel that there is a greater possibility of delinquency and future crime.
The students’ families and community play a major role in their lives. Therefore, it is very important for a teacher to incorporate and to involve the students in the community. In the classroom, we will learn about the different families and the roles they play. We will also learn about our community and how it relates to the rest of the country and world. In addition to learning about the community, I believe the students need to go out and become an active member in the community. Also, teachers and parents need to work together to give the students the best possible education. I believe that if the parents, community and teachers work together to create a positive attitude towards school, then that same attitude will carry over to the students.
