Teaching Philosophy 1

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Progressivism in Action

My Teaching Philosophy

Nora Lynom

Edison College

Teaching Philosophy 2

Progressivism in Action

            My chosen teaching philosophy is Progressivism, because it is a student-center philosophy.  I would like to teach Kindergarten or First Grade and I feel this teaching philosophy will work the best.  Young children learn best by working with each other and learning by doing.  In a progressive classroom, it is flexible and I can integrate study of academic subjects around the needs, and experiences of students.  As the educator, I will guide and integrate learning activities so that students can find meaning and feel they belong.   

Kindergarten and First Grade children can be taught to become intelligent problem solvers, socially aware citizens who are prepared for the world.  I will be a teacher who walks around my classroom engaging with individual students and small groups.  Listening and asking questions and making suggestions are a teaching style important to me.  Establishing learning centers throughout the room, filled with books and project centers, or art centers all make learning visible. 

It also allows the students to express themselves.  Equipping the classrooms with lots of resources like computers and software the are directed to math, reading, creative writing, and spelling, science that are learning activities games.     Field trips and interactive web sites on the Internet offer realistic learning. 

Mrs. Skerzak’s is a progressive Kindergarten teacher, she taught my then six years old daughter.  I would volunteer and be in amazement every time I visited the classroom.  The classroom was so orderly she began reading groups first. 

The teacher’s table had six children they were taught reading by her.  I sat in a table with six children while I read to them phonics books and review vocabulary or letter sounds through puzzles.  The rest of the children were in tables doing seatwork.  Then after fifteen minutes she would ring a bell then, everyone would rotate to the next table.  It was great to see and feel the energy in the room.

During story time, she would seat all of the children on the floor in front of her and she would be reading and walking showing them all the illustrations in the books.  All the students had her undivided attention.  The kindergarten class learns through audio books and children follow along. 

Progressive teaching engages the natural curiosity of children through their knowledge and understanding by shaping an active child eager to learn.  Teachers challenge students at their individual level and match students and learning with each other.  Children will be encourage to develop critical thinking and are shape into strong confident learners.  I look forward to achieving my Associate in Art degree so I can continue to purse my teaching degree.  I will be incorporating Progressivism in my classroom.