Monday, November 30, 2009
Jaime Esparza
I once learned that the purpose of education was to educate students to become productive citizens/adults in our society. That being said, I believe that that is the true purpose of why it's important to have an educational system in any society. However, I personally have extended that approach and have added my own philosophy with the above mentioned purpose as my foundation. My personal philosophy to education revolves around the premise of developing a relationship with each student I teach. I find this imperative because I feel that if I invest time and get to know my students, this will make a difference in their attitude to wanting to learn in the classroom. Furthermore, I have also learned from personal experience that I can never remember a teacher by what they have taught me, but I can remember a teacher by how they have treated me or by an experience or memory that that teacher has given me. Thus, I want to be a teacher that provides a positive experience to each of my students and I have found that the best way to ensure this is through forming a relationship with them by getting to them.
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I agree that those connections need to be made for students who are not intrinsically motivated to do well in school or maybe do not have any other positive role models in their lives. Whatever the case may be, sometimes all it takes is one teacher to show they care in order for that kid to even keep showing up at school. With that said, I think it is extremely hard with what we must deal with on a day-to-day basis with 40+ kids in a classroom, to have time or energy to form relationships with every child. Sometimes, you just have to pick a few who you know really need that attention and focus in on them. You know who they are. Plus, it can be heartbreaking when a a teacher puts so much energy into a student and developing relationship with that child in hopes that he/she will be the one who motivates that student to keep trying, only to get the withdrawal papers a week later.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the importance of creating relationships with your students. Aroller's comment makes me appreicate my class of 20 students. It is much easier to make a connection with a small group of children than rotating periods with class sizes of 40+ in middle school or high school. Yet, somehow there were those middle or high school teachers that I had who made me feel unique through a small gesture such as a comment on a paper or a follow up question based on something I mentioned in a prior class. It was definitely those teachers who made me want to go into teaching after college when, in high school, all I could think about was finally being free of school.
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