Eschm001

About Me

Hi there!

My name is Elizabeth, but most people call me Betsy. I am just beginning Education courses at ODU for the PreK-6 licensure only program. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I also have a master's degree in Psychology from ODU. I enjoy spending my spare time outside hiking in FLSP, relaxing at the beach, fishing and crabbing with my family, and working in my garden. I am married to a wonderful Navy man, and lucky for us, I LOVE to travel. The photo below is from our latest trip.

Machu Picchu, April 2008 (South America trip)

We climbed Huayna Picchu (the mountain in the background) the day before this pic

My wikibooks contributions

1. Chapter 10 Effective Teaching article

2. Chapter 6 Aptitude Testing article

Teaching Philosophy

Having never written a teaching philosophy, or a teaching statement before, I would like to start with a general description of what I believe a teaching philosophy is:

To me, a teaching philosophy is a set of individual goals and objectives for the dissemination of knowledge. Furthermore, the philosophy includes a teacher’s specific guidelines and standards for achievement of the stated educational goals and objectives.

Currently I do not have a specific or thorough set of my goals and objectives, or a description of the guidelines and standards that I will use to implement my teaching philosophy. However, based upon my limited previous instructional experiences, the paragraphs that follow include the initial elements of the teaching philosophy I hope to develop further.

My philosophy of teaching involves many components, that when combined, will hopefully enhance the educational experience of students through continuous learning on my behalf. I firmly believe that for students to acquire developmentally appropriate knowledge and meet educationally accepted standards, the learning process must be reciprocal. Thus, as the teacher, I aspire to enhance the educational experience of my students by ensuring that my individual learning process never stops. By dedicating myself to the process of learning as both a teacher and a student, I will continually refine, improve, and expand my knowledge base. With a strong commitment to flexibility and keeping an “open-mind”, I aim to constantly improve my instructional methodologies by incorporating new and fresh ideas that will allow my students to successfully achieve, and exceed, their educational standards and goals.

In addition to implementing reciprocal learning, I also aim to create a classroom environment that fosters and develops tolerance and acceptance of differences. Thus, part of my teaching philosophy concerns creating an atmosphere in which students are encouraged to explore individual and cultural differences. It is my view that one of the most successful methods for learning involves understanding knowledge from a multi-faceted perspective. The personal and experiential differences of students and teachers will be recognized, acknowledged, and incorporated into the learning process to ensure a wide spectrum of background knowledge and application.

To reinforce multi-faceted educational learning, my instructional strategies will rely on several methods. Thus, lecture-based instruction will be balanced with group work. Individual learning and achievement will be emphasized in topic areas where personal growth and development mark mastery of concepts (e.g., reading and writing acquisition). Additionally, I aim to vary my methods for instruction. For example, I recently became aware of a “newer” form of instruction titled “Power Teaching”. The methods involved in implementing Power Teaching are not suitable for every classroom or individual. However, there are specific elements of the method that can be applied in diverse settings, for different ages, or for various topics in classroom education.

At the heart of my teaching philosophy is a desire to ensure successful transfer of knowledge and learning strategies from the teacher to the student. Differentiated forms of technology, communication, and instruction will be used to accomplish this goal. In addition, assessment of students’ educational background, current status, and future progress will comply with all state and federal regulations for standardized assessment. And finally, to encourage student mastery of the educational knowledge and learning strategies acquired in the classroom, I will include an open, warm, and frequent teacher-parent relationship.

In conclusion, it is my view that a teacher’s highest level of achievement can only be attained by ensuring that all students are given the necessary opportunities to reach their educational goals.