At this point, I am 19 years old, and I have been studying for over 16 years. Since preschool, elementary school, high school, senior high school, and now college, I have experienced those stages, and I have personally witnessed how students learn and how learning gradually changes. And that served as a reflection for me. Despitethe eexperiences I have had at this point, what is learning for me? My answer is simple: learning is a continuous process, meaning that the fact that the world is always changing is one of the main reasons learning is a lifelong activity. Teachers are not the only ones who learn all their lives; as long as we live, we continue to learn. It is also important for us to understand that learning does not just revolve around the four corners of the classroom; we can learn anywhere as long as we are willing and passionate to learn. Second, learning for me should be fun and engaging at the same time, so that while the students are learning, they are also enjoying themselves. Because that's one of theproblems I saw when I was in high school, where the students' learning is centered only on the teacher, and what's even worse is the banking model of education. We are aware of the consequences of this kind of instruction; one instance is when a teacher just writes to the class and then instructs the students to copy it. In the end, the students did not learn, and there was no sign of interactive engagement; worse, the students didn't even seem to enjoy it. Learning should be fun. Because it increases engagement, encourages a positive attitude toward education, makes learning accessible to all types of learners, sharpens critical thinking abilities, and enhances general well-being, we can foster an environment where children are excited, motivated, and eager to learn by integrating fun into the educational process. As I said earlier, learning is a continuous process. While we live, we continue to study and learn, so why don't we make this process fun and enjoyable? If you are wondering how it will happen, well, first, we need to eliminate what we call the banking model of education. We should promote interactive interaction between students and teachers. We should be informed that this kind of interaction boosts student engagement, encourages the sharing of different viewpoints, helps students acquire critical interpersonal skills, offers quick feedback, and makes the classroom lively and fun. Second, we should be creative. For example, practical experiences give students.the opportunity to actively explore their interests and passions through practical experiences. For students who learn best in a hands-on setting, practical experiences can offer an immersive and captivating learning environment. Not all students study best in a standard classroom setting. Students can learn about their skills, interests, and areas of competence through hands-on experiences. I think those are just some of the ways for us to achieve what we want to happen in the classroom, like how students should learn.
Benjamin Franklin once said, tell me, and I will forget. Teach me, and I will remember. Involve me, and I learn. This quote simply says that teaching has the ability—or, if not, the capacity—to mold and shape a human being. We will always go back to the concept that teaching is considered the noblest profession. Why? Well, the selflessness required in teaching is one of the main reasons it is regarded as noble. Teachers frequently prioritize the needs of their students over their own, devoting their time, effort, and resources to assisting their peers in succeeding. Another reason is that teaching calls for a great degree of aptitude, expertise, and commitment. Educators must remain up-to-date on the newest developments in education, adjust to the unique needs of each student, and have the ability to explain complicated concepts clearly. To be a successful educator, one must possess patience, empathy, and a thorough understanding of human nature. The noblest thing about teaching is that it's a profession with demanding requirements that demands a sincere desire to have a positive impact and a strong sense of obligation. Those are just a few of the many reasons why teachers are considered the noblest profession. But at this point, what is teaching for me? Simply put, teaching is just a way for me to meet new people, and as we meet new people, we learn from them. We must understand that there is a unique relationship between students and teachers. It's not always the teacher who teaches; there are things that the teacher learns from the students. Well, it is a great opportunity because we are learning new things from them. And for me, it is a win-win situation wherein we do have something called mutual benefit. I learn from them, they learn from me, and I do want to maintain that relationship if it ever comes to a point where I am a full-fledged teacher. Additionally, for me, teaching is a powerful ability where you have the privilege of guiding early experiences and discoveries. Just like one of the famous quotes that says teachers are like a candle, they consume themselves to light the way for others. And I am ready to be a candle for my future students, where I need to become better every now and then so that I become a worthy candle for them. To become a worthy candle for my students, I need to improve myself every day. I need to cope with the everyday trends. So that I won't be left behind, as a teacher, we should be aware of what trends the students like. We must understand that it is necessary to keep up with changes happening in our world, especially in education. Finally, I just want to share that one of my beliefs is that learning is like a trip;.no matter how slow or fast the trip is, the important thing is that we arrive at our destination. With that as a guide to our trip, I must know the roads that we are taking, I must make sure that the students will not be bored on this trip, I must make sure that in each of our trips they must learn something, and I must make sure to always tell them that as long as there is a road, there is hope in this trip.
After our long journey on our trip, I expect all the important learning components they will carry with them until they grow old. I do expect them to have what we call inquiry skills. It is important not to just accept information but to question it. What I mean is that, apart from the information provided by the teachers, the students should also have their own questions in their minds. For instance, how did it happen, what was the reason why it happened, and what was the effect of that event? In this way, the students will have reflection, which is one of the important factors in what we call inquiry skills. Apart from that, as one of the most crucial abilities in the twenty-first century, I anticipate that they will be able to think critically. The ability to ask questions and analyze information is a prerequisite for both critical thinking and inquiry abilities. And of course, one of the essential skills needed to achieve inquiry and critical thinking skills is reading. It is very important that students understand what they are reading because that is one of the important ingredients for achieving critical and inquiry skills. And finally, no one should be left behind. What I mean is that the students should realize that working together is better than working alone. Just like Hellen Keller said, "Alone, we can do so little; together, we.can do so much," I want them to realize that being collaborative is one of the essential skills to survive in this world. I was able to accomplish the objectives I had set for them once they had acquired the abilities I had trained them for. It is my hope that they will fulfil their potential and, at the very least, be able to withstand the harsh realities of life when they leave the classroom with those kinds of skills. Of course, in order for it to occur, I have to create activities that are appropriate for all ages, timely, and relevant. Current and relevant educational activities are essential to preparing students for the future. The success of our students' futures and of our society as a whole depends on their ability to engage in critical thinking, inquiry skills, and collaborative skills. For instance, to enhance the students critical thinking skills, one way is to ask them open-ended questions. As a.result, the students are more equipped to consider their responses and provide specifics.that allow them to fairly respond to the issue that was posed. Give thoughts, opinions, and detailed explanations. Those are just some of the ways to achieve the goals I want for them. However, I am aware that as time goes on, students will have more opportunities to grow and improve.
Although there is still a long way to go and I still have a lot to learn and experience during my stay here in college, I am currently learning from my professors, student teachers, and classmates how they approach teaching. And at this point, if I am asked how I will operationalize my teaching philosophy inside the classroom, my answer might be lacking because I am still learning and striving to become better every day. But let me share with you how I view myself, operationalizing my guiding ideas and basic values inside the classroom. Developing trusting relationships with my students is my first priority. If I want to win my students over, I believe this is one of the most crucial measures. As a result, I get to know each of my students as a unique person and provide a friendly,.open environment where they feel free to share their views. In addition, one of the important steps for me is recognizing the differences among my students. Every student is unique, which means there is a difference in how they learn best. This is where my role as a teacher comes in. I need to cater all of them. I need to make the classroom diverse in such a way that I am flexible enough to cater to the needs of my students. Moreover, I visualize in my classroom that there is interactive interaction between me and my students. Inside my classroom, I want them to be engaged. I want them to share their new ideas, opinions, and thoughts. In this way, we gain new knowledge with the help of open communication inside the classroom. And for me, the most important step is to make sure that learning does not bore them. I have to make sure that while they are learning, they are having fun. By making the teaching and learning fun, I believe the students will love learning more. Personally, I am a joyful and lively person, so it's no wonder why one of the things I want to happen in the classroom is for the students to be happy while learning. Because I believe that yes, studying is really tiring, why not make the journey.fun even though it is tiring? To add on that, I want to develop my creativity, which will require me to approach teaching differently. Being creative is one of the important factors.that makes a teacher competent. If I want to be competent, then I must enhance this skill. This is the best I can come up with for now when it comes to operationalizing, if not managing, my guiding principles and ideals in the classroom. Don't worry, I'm still learning and will eventually finish developing my teaching philosophy.
Well, as a teacher, it is only natural that we are always setting goals that we want to achieve in a good way. In that way, we are reminded that we always need to strive, meaning we need to become even better than before. Assuming that I am a teacher at this point, I have a number of objectives for myself in order to make sure that I am always getting better and giving my students the greatest education possible. These objectives target not just my own professional development but also the advancement and achievement of my students. One of my main goals as a teacher is to become a worthy candle that will always guide the students on their own path. To achieve this goal, I need to prioritize the welfare of my students. We will always remember that the world continues to rotate, and every time it rotates, many things change, including education. Education also continues to change, and the teacher has to keep up with that change. Therefore, one of my other main objectives is to always enhance my methods of instruction. I think that in order to be a great teacher, one must be a lifelong learner, and I'm dedicated to continuously looking for new technology, instructional techniques, and teaching tactics to improve the learning opportunities for my students. Additionally, my objective is to design classes that are both meaningful and engaging, meeting the various learning needs of my students. Since each student is different, I need to be diverse inside the class. I need to become flexible. Just like I said earlier, being flexible is one of the keys to addressing the needs of students. And another important thing that I should do is always attend seminars. Attending seminars helps teachers stay up-to-date on the newest developments and research in the field of education while also giving them the chance to acquire new teaching methods and ideas. Seminars also give teachers the ability to connect and work together with other educators. Since seminars are an excellent way for me to learn new skills and improve as a teacher, I must attend them if I want to get better. These are just some of the goals that I can think of right now, but I do believe, as a teacher, that every now and then they must always set their goals in such a way that this will serve as a reminder that there is a reason for them to move forward.
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