My Teaching Philosophy

                                     

                                                                           My Teaching Philosophy

                                                                  

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think”, Socrates.

“Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of mind to think”, Albert Einstein.

 “The teacher who is indeed wise, does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind”, Jibran.

Throughout history, the teaching profession has always been a sacred and noble one, for its main purpose is cultivating the mind and training it to think properly. Thoughts affect our feelings, which in turn generate our behaviors, consequently defining our value as human beings.

I have always thought how blessed the student would be if he had a great teacher or had a chance to be enrolled in a good school with an advanced curriculum.

The great teacher who will take responsibility of opening those windows of light in a student’s mind should have unique qualities. She/he must be caring, loving, empathetic, patient, knowledgeable, creative, motivating, friendly yet assertive and above all, she/he must be aware of the precious gift that god has put her/him in charge of and that is the child’s mind, thus learns to respect and accept each student as a unique individual. It is true that some of these traits are naturally found in some teachers, but for others, acquiring such characteristics is self-challenging. What is more rewarding than discovering that through the process of teaching others, there is a joy in learning, both for the teacher and the student!

Students sense the vibes of their teachers when they give from the heart and respect them when they are organized and have a clear objective. Once the teacher develops a proper way of communication, the class becomes vibrant and active, and each student reciprocates that with courtesy, diligence and responsibility which are some of characteristics each teacher wishes to see in the child. A student may not be a high achiever and should not be evaluated only by the grades she/he gets. The evaluation must be based upon marks, personality, attitude, ethics, and skills.

As for the school, I believe that it is a second home for the child. A good school offers a positive, safe, clean, and well-organized environment for the administrators, personnel, teachers, and students being a whole structure believing that one for all and all for one. Such an atmosphere creates harmony and peace for a productive and efficient work for all, enabling teachers to transfer knowledge smoothly and guide students through the process of learning effectively, encouraging them to develop their skills and abilities. An important point that is worthy to be mentioned is that a good school has a good infrastructure and provides the staff as well as the students with the necessary equipment and tools empowering them to achieve the desired goals.

If the school plays the role of the second home for the children, one may ask what is the role of their first home or in other words, the role of the parents? Parents are child's first teachers, so they must be aware of this sensitive role. Reinforcing the moral and ethical values, reading together, going on educational trips, providing a positive atmosphere for studying, monitoring their child’s learning, and appreciating their efforts are some ways that parents can endorse enabling the learning process to run smoothly.

All high-quality curricula are based on certain requirements and standards that guide and cultivate children’s minds and shaping their personalities, creating better generation for a better society and a better life. Thus, a good curriculum accentuates on the shared responsibility and collaborative work of the school, the teacher, and the student in preparing learners for life in all its aspects, therefore, it must be dynamic and evolve regularly to meet the needs of a learner especially in a technologically changing world. In addition to that, an advanced curriculum fosters the fact that all children can learn embracing the uniqueness of each child among a highly diverse student body. It helps the learners to unlock their hidden potentials preparing them for college life, as well constructing their knowledge and solidifying their ethical and moral values. Advanced curriculum emphasizes on all subjects starting from scientific subjects to literary ones ending with sports, and arts especially the art of living as basic subjects so the student knows his real value in life.

For the teaching to be effective, it has to be an integrated process that brings together the aforementioned elements, and as a future educator, I will be so privileged to be a guide for a future generation that makes a difference in society by sharing my knowledge and experience as a mother and a tutor for my children, trusting that teaching is the corner stone in building humanity and believing that each child has the right in receiving good education in a positive atmosphere in any way possible.