I do think I have a solid Teaching Philosophy now tho. I am not saying this will not change overtime but for now this about sums it up:
Before writing my teaching philosophy for science I
found it necessary to research different theories and compare them to my own
thoughts and ideas. I determined that I do not fall wholly into any one
category but rather across various philosophies. In particular, social
constructivism, the ideas of Professor Kereti Rautangata, cognitivism and
humanism, and to a lesser degree behaviorism. To explain further I will briefly outline
the particular parts of each teaching philosophy that appeal to me, albeit each
philosophy is much more complex and extensive than allowed for below.
Behavioral Psychology includes a degree of rote
learning where evidence of learning is observed through a change in behaviour (Skinner, 1961;
Watson, 1979). Being teacher centered and directed, the
teacher is considered the expert, or ‘sage’ with all the answers (Watson, 1913;
Bandura, 1969). Students self regulate learning and are given
reinforcement by the teacher who observes, measures and quantitatively
evaluates results (Holland and Skinner, 1961). The line between teacher and
learner is very clear (Appendix A).
Humanism relies on a teacher providing numerous resources
from which a student can choose to learn from which results in personalised and
tailored learning for each individual (Maslow 1943; McLeod, 2007), thus
recognising learners as individuals (McLeod, 2007). This theory appeals to me
as my view of students is that they are all unique individuals with their own
strengths and weaknesses and contributions to give.
Cognitivism allows learners to pursue their own
interests within a community that also supports individual exploration (Neill,
1973; Montessori, 1994). It consists of individual learning activities, joint
projects and field trips which provide real life learning opportunities based
on individual interests (Kohler, 1992). Cognitivism is based
on individuals having private and subjective knowledge that is then teacher
directed towards resources that the student then engages with. Cognitivism relies
on IT use; email, computer programs, timed power point slides and other web
designed teaching/learning aides by which students move through various stages
of learning (Appendix B), (Piaget, 1970; 1985). Incorporating computer
generated-learning, means learners can progress at their own pace allowing
for varying abilities within a class. Although students may not be working at the same
level or even on the same subject at any one time I can see many benefits from
this teaching philosophy. A major disadvantage is the requirement for a teacher
to be able to multi-task and remember where any one student is up to at any one
time.
Constructivism is also based on Gestalt psychology and
can be argued to have arisen partly from cognitivism (Galloway, 2001). Students
use previous and current experiences to derive knowledge and make educational
experiences an integral part of life. It involves problem-based learning that
not only applies to classroom activities but also to solutions to real life
problems (Galloway, 2001). Social
Constructivism allows for collaboration with others and the construction of
hypotheses (Bruner, 1961; Vygotsky, 1978; Glaserfeld, 1992; 1996; Montessori,
1994; Mascolol and Fischer, 2005). It also has its focus in real life
experiences as initially intended by its advocate John Dewey (Mascolol and
Fischer, 2005).
It is my personal belief that if lessons can relate to
the real world, animals, plants, planets, everyday house hold and environmental
processes, then students will not only engage more easily with topics and subject
matter but also retain information more readily. I particularly like that students
are encouraged to research and find meaningful contexts in their quest for
knowledge, and that learners and teachers are focused on creating an
educational community that has meaning and value within a democratic community.
The theories that did not fit my ideas include Existentialism, Critical Theory
and Social Reconstructionism (Appendix C).
My teaching philosophy combines at least three of the
theories mentioned: cognitivism, humanism and social constructivism.
- Cognitivism
because learners are able to apply lessons to life outside of the classroom and
incorporate an array of IT resources via E-learning (Appendix D).
- Humanism,
because it allows a student to choose from a variety of resources in order to
learn on an individual basis. It may be more difficult and time consuming to
track the progress of individual students if all are working with
individualised resources at their own pace within their own parameters but, an
experienced, aware and energetic teacher would see good results. It would allow
students to engage in a topic at an appropriate level for the individual and
with resources that each connects with, whether audio, visual, literary, or
hands-on (puzzles etc), therefore catering for most if not all learning styles.
- Social
Constructivism because it allows for collaboration and education that has real
world meaning.
Adopting parts from each of these theories would allow
for an environment that is conducive to learning, where students tolerate
different points of view and where individuals are able to bring their life
experiences in to the classroom and yet apply lessons learnt to the wider
community. Students will learn to be responsible to themselves, each other and
the community in which they live. The classroom environment would aid in
attaining equity by nurturing and encouraging students to take risks in
speaking, demonstrating and partaking in group and class activities.
Encouraging participation in investigations and hypothesising would promote the
sharing of ideas and encourage curiosity leading to amazement of the world
about them and mutual respect for each other as learners. Ultimately
learners would be encouraged to embrace science education as being a natural part of life, all around and
everywhere, rather than merely an external curriculum ‘add-on’ (Appendix E).
Bringing science alive, and making it relevant and applicable to everyday life
will capture and excite many students. For example, investigating the chemistry
of food in items that students commonly eat, gazing at the wonders of the stars
and making parallels with time travel, or at the inner machinery of a cell
which isn’t unlike the workings of a car or motorbike engine have appeal to
both genders.
With regard to Maori inclusion in my teaching
philosophy, I refer to Professor, Kereti Rautangata. He managed to
bring in to his teaching traditional Māori spiritual ideals giving students the
ability to connect with who they are as well as to relate to their perceived
reality of the world. His
statement sums up my own thoughts perfectly:
“For me, everything must be interlinked with the
‘Cosmic Plan', the all-inclusive Primordial Blueprint that human beings,
irrespective of colour, creed or country, should ultimately be aspiring to. . .
Hence for me, the art of teaching is coined in the phrase:
... ‘Tahuna te Ahi-para papa-rākau-a-Tū, Oi' he ngākau-toa, Oi' he
Manawa toa ..." ... "Fan the potential spark, lying dormant in the
psyche of a tauira (student & teacher), into a flamboyant shield of glory
..." (Rautangata, 2008).
He views education as a tool for which a spark may be
ignited in a person. His philosophy is a combination of reality, spiritual and
physical and he is an advocate for first being inspired yourself before trying
to inspire others (Rautangata, 2008). I firmly believe this is a wonderful philosophy and these
words speak volumes to me. My desire is to be able to enthuse others about the
world around us; its natural marvels, mysteries and awesomeness. To encourage
curiosity that leads to amazement. To light the tinniest of sparks could take
any student so much further than if they had had no spark at all. Like
one-degree begins insignificantly small but in space opens up to become
kilometers wide.
In regard to Maori, the Ministry of Education states
that schools need to provide all individuals with opportunities to
understand and respect tikanga Māori (The Ministry of Education, 2012). After a
12 week course in the School of Maori with Duane Culshaw (2011) and hearing
Anton Matthews speak (lecture 7th February 2012) about tikanga and
Maori Culture I think it important that all students come to appreciate and
respect the depth and significance of Maori history, customs, language and
spirituality, including the beliefs around ancestors and the entire meaning of whanau
and how the Marae itself, for example, the placement of decorations, doors and
windows, are
deeply symbolic. There is a great wealth of understanding to be
obtained from exploring Maori culture and language that would in itself
encourage others to make comparisons with their own cultures and thus reduce
any feeling of minority in a classroom, whether Asian, African, Pacific Islander,
Maori or other. Inclusion of trips to a Marae and incorporation of Te Reo
language is invaluable to all students in recognising New Zealand’s unique and
rich history, traditions and culture. Including pohiri and Kapa Haka as a norm
in schools would benefit not only the school but the wider community especially
if parents and extended family are invited to have input.
However, it is simply not sufficient to
concentrate only on the Kiwi student or Máori learner. It is my belief that science
teaching is required to incorporate a philosophy for multiculutural education
and therefore needs a multicultural philosophy. To this end science education needs
to include texts, readings and examples from other cultures. For example the
movements of the moon could be related to the Islamic, Mayan and Amazonian Calendars
that could then lead on to various scientific discoveries each of these
cultures made. After all, science started in the East with ancient
civilizations. Understanding the value and significance of ecosystems to
different cultures would be enlightening for many students. Mapping tectonic
plates would reveal not only scientific information but also reveal many myths
and folk tales. In particular, many myths about earthquakes are from areas that
are situated on major fault lines (Quynh, undated). Lessons should include
scientists from different ethnicities and cultures including minorities; women,
for example. This would illustrate to students that science is genuinely for
everyone. Describing the lives of great scientists would give learners an appreciation
of great discoverers being human and not dissimilar to each of them. Any one student
is equally able to discover something unique.
On the note of equality - as Banks and Banks
(1995) stated, ‘equality is reached when teaching styles facilitate the
academic curiosity of all learners regardless of their race, cultural, social
or other group’. This equality also extends to access to resources, especially
IT. Where possible, making sure educational resources are available before and
after class to students is important. In particular, assess to computers. This
would also have the added benefit of facilitating further cooperative work in groups
that is important for some cultures and specific learners. For example, the academic
success of Mexican, American and African learners is increased with cooperative
activities (Aronson & Gonzalez, 1988).
This leads me to
my last but most important belief. I absolutely believe that all learners
regardless of wealth, age, gender, faith, ability, background, race or any
other factor should always be treated with absolute equally in the classroom. The classroom itself should foster an
environment where learners have a positive, collaborative and inclusive
educational experience which comes from building a foundation of equal status
where there may exist gender differences, significant diversity in race,
ethnicity, culture and ability. My teaching philosophy not only encompasses
what I wish to foster in a classroom environment but also what I wish to see
develop in my students and also in myself. It is important to me to recognise
my own biases, and thoughts and feelings and re-evaluate and reconsider my own
viewpoint to ensure that attitudes towards each student is genuinely equitable.
It would be my
intent not to portray myself as an expert in any field but rather as a partner
in the learning process. Moses Maimonides, stated that the best we can do is to
place a person in a position, via education, where they no longer need our aid.
If a student found that I was obsolete in that they could learn no more from
me, then I would believe my job would have been a successful one.
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Appendix
A
Behavioural Psychology reflects the way many African
and Asian nations teach as well as what students and parents expect from a
teacher and learning processes. Although, there is a place for this teaching
philosophy it is not one I would wish to embrace in New Zealand. From personal
experience, whilst building, funding and running a school in rural North
Africa, any other method of teaching in Africa would result in confusion for
the students and their extended families who have very clear ideas and
expectations: that being the teacher teaches and the student ‘fills up’ like a
vessel or sponge. This philosophy therefore has its place in the global
community albeit not one I believe would elicit the best results in New
Zealand.
Appendix B
These stages are known as ‘assimilation’, where
a student fits new information into an existing cognitive structure or
understanding; ‘accommodation’
where a learner modifies their existing cognitive structures based on
new information and then ‘equilibration’ where a student develops a more
adaptive and sophisticated mode of thought from something newly learnt (Piaget,
1970; 1985).
Appendix C
Existentialism appeared too abstract (Sartre, 1957
p14; 2007 p6; Kierkegaard, 2000) and it included long moral and political
contexts. As New Zealand is very much a multicultural society I believe it best
to focus on our similarities and embrace differences in order to build a
positive learning community rather than form separations by focusing on
political differences. Of course, in science as with all areas politics are
rife in academia and between individuals and groups but this need not detract
focus from teaching. Critical Theory encourages a world where all learners work
towards freedom and equality whilst at the same time working towards changing
social conditions (Giroux, 1981; 1989. Michael Apple, 2004; Brown, 2011).
Social Reconstrucionism focuses on working to overcome problems that exist in
society and thus create a better world (Montessori, 1994). Critical Theory
allows each student to work towards an individual need and ability, but I
wonder who judges a student’s need and ability. It is my belief that all
learners should not be labeled but encouraged to achieve all they are able
rather than being judged as more or less able or in need.
Appendix
D
However, as teachers we need to ensure that students
embrace not only the ability to communicate effectively using IT in a virtual
space but are also able to fully function and communicate in the physical world
via face to face interactions which develop specific social skills including
the ability to read body language and expressions.
Appendix E
This is not unlike the aim outlined in our
Professional Studies lecture which states that Maori should be a natural part
of a students experience so that it is not considered an ‘add-on’ but rather a
natural presence to both teacher and student.
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