Philosophy of Teaching
My philosophy of teaching is simple, everyone can learn science and can love
science. Most young people are divided
about their thoughts on the sciences.
Some already love the subject, but others are a little more
hesitant. These students often feel science
classes to be overwhelming, tedious, and overall very dry. I think that it is the job of the science
teacher to not only teach his or her subject, but to help change this attitude.
The first step in achieving this
goal is to make science something that the students can relate to. Often chemistry is something that is viewed
as very abstract. The student is
learning about atoms and molecules and reactions that are taking place on a
scale that is incomprehensible. It is
the role of the chemistry teacher to move beyond this and help the students
correlate what is being taught in the classroom to what they are experiencing
in their everyday lives. Many students
unknowingly perform activities or watch television shows that include large
amounts of chemistry and it is the job of the teacher to effectively integrate
these items into the classroom. It is
through these connections with the content that the subject can become less
overwhelming and much less tedious.
The next thing that must be present in
the teacher is a real enthusiasm for the subject that is being taught. In order for the students to love chemistry,
the teacher must have a true love of the subject. The teacher must then illustrate this
enthusiasm whenever possible. The teacher’s
enthusiasm must penetrate the entire classroom and every topic that is being
covered in class.
Finally, the teacher should make it
clear that what is being taught does not just apply to the classroom, but
rather can be applied to future learning.
The teacher should not simply think in the short term of a single school
year, but in terms of the students becoming life-long learners. While an individual teacher is directly
responsible for teaching a single subject, the teacher should also be conscious
of the fact that he or she is helping to further a student’s desire and ability
to learn after leaving each class and after formal education has ended.
These are just a few small things
that I feel should be done on the part of the chemistry teacher, but I believe
that through these steps the teacher can have an amazing impact on a student’s
learning in the chemistry classroom and on all future learning.