My Personal Teaching Philosphy

My individual teaching philosophy is a work in progress. It involves my own personal work experience as a teacher (in graduate school and as a substitute teacher), a philosophical base constructed from the theories and ideas of leaders in the educational philosophy field and a continual refinement based on research and continuing education.

While having a base philosophy of teaching is important, it is also important to recognize that each student and each classroom environment is different. What works with one student or in one classroom may not work in another. I am committed to adhering to core principles of good teaching while making note of the ever-changing environment of teaching and making adaptations when necessary.

My philosophy is very similar to the “personal warmth-active demander” or “warm demander” style described by Judith Kleinfeld in her report on effective teachers of Eskimo and Indian high school students (Kleinfeld, 1972) and later by Bondy and Ross (Bondy & Ross, 2008). This philosophy combines the personal warmth of a trusted adult with the strong and consistent demands for results from students. Such demands, however, and done in a way consistent with the warmth conveyed by a trusted adult. Such warmth can be communicated by body language, positive reinforcement, etc.

As a warm demander I encourage students to explore learning in ways that best fit their own personal learning styles. Ideally students are self-managing and have a great deal of self-efficacy. Not all students arrive in this state, however. As a teacher I can improve both by reinforcing progress using mean effective for each student as they move through course content. In this way the scaffolding effect described by Vygotsky can be successfully implemented. A warm demander provides key feedback (both encouragement and direction) at crucial points, allowing the student to eventually achieve goals through their own work and study. Students quickly discover that they...