Community-oriented Education
Discuss about the My Philosophy of Teaching and Teaching in the 21st Century.
The purpose of developing my educational philosophy is to show the value and effectiveness I wish to achieve as a teacher during the process of teaching in the classroom. My teaching philosophy is distinct in nature. I believe in providing educationally appropriate information within a time limit that is appropriate for the student. Educational principles are built on the belief that education should be community oriented that is it should meet the needs of the community members (Ananiadou, K., & Claro, M. , 2009; Atkinson, M., & Dawson, D, 2016). The educational principles I provide to my students should be effective in helping them to be better members of the society and not only good scholars at the end of the day.
Education should also be formatted to be learner oriented and meet the needs of the learner (Beatty, J. E., Leigh, J. S., & Lund Dean, K. , 2009; Bell, S., 2010). I believe that when learners get the opportunity to experiences and show their ideas in a learning environment, they will be better able to deal with challenges that they face on day to day basis. Confidence can only be developed through learner participation in the learning environment. Being a good listener is paramount to the success of my students (Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., & Rumble, M, 2012; Cahn, S. M. , 2018). Showing my students that they are of value by fostering communication in the classroom strengthens our relationship.
The teachers’ and learners’ relationship is also significant for educational development. However, boundaries should be set in teacher and learner relationships (Cahn, S. M. , 2018; De Vries, 2016; Dede, C., 2010). Teachers and learners should respect their boundaries to prevent interruption in the provision of knowledge. This interruption can come into play when teachers and learners engage in romantic relationships. I do not believe in having romantic relationships with students. I believe in maintaining stringent and appropriate lines in terms of relationships with students although I enjoy being social with my students.
Education should also address both the cognitive, psychomotor and the effective domains of learning (Gay, G., & Howard, T. C. , 2000; Goodyear, 1998). For the cognitive part, education should be formatted to address the mental skills of the learners- that are their knowledge. Education, according to me, should also be formatted to address the effective domain of learning. Through the effective domain, education should be formatted to aid the student to grow both in feelings and emotions (Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. , 2003). In this regard, education should enable the student to develop the right skills and attitudes that will be relevant for personal development in both activities of daily living and for personal development. I strive to ensure the student is viewed as a whole entity and not only a part of a whole.
Learner-centred Education
Under the cognitive domain, education should enable the leaner to develop both physically and intellectually (Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. , 2003). The intellectual development of the learners is hallmarked on the fact that the learners should be exposed to sufficient number of experiences that support their development. Learning should be aimed at providing the student with knowledge that is up to date and accurate (National Research Council, 2013). Information provided to learners should be shaped to be appropriate not only for the class but also for their development out of the class, in the environment that they are in. I do not believe in providing out of date and irrelevant information to students but rather information that is up to date and highly relevant to the students in question.
Information that is provided for to students should also be easily comprehensible by the students in question (Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. , 2003; De Vries, 2016). The understanding of meanings of concepts is highly significant if the leaner or learners are to succeed in the job market and beyond. I strive to provide information that is easy to understand and relevant to the learners in terms of the level of development and degree of information provided. Before I give complex terms to students, I strive to understand their level of development and performance first. This can only be done when I have created a strong relationship with the students.
Considering the diversity of students’ that exists, as a teacher I strive to ensure I provide an atmosphere that effectively supports this fact. The identities of the varied numbers and categories of the students are important to consider. The religious identities, ideologies and beliefs of students should be considered for effective learning (Gay, G., & Howard, T. C. , 2000). As a teacher, I strive to ensure that the cultural practices and ideologies of the students are respected. Students from different races and cultures might feel offended if their beliefs are challenged. In this regard, it is important that as teacher I provide only relevant information without judging the students day to day ways of life. Cultural barriers to communication are important to consider in the classroom. (Gay, G., & Howard, T. C. , 2000). I strive to ensure that I respect the cultural beliefs that may become a hindrance in provision of information.
Cognitive, Psychomotor and Effective Domains of Learning
Confidence is necessary for the students (?enda?, S., & Odaba??, H. F. , 2009; Dede, C., 2010). In order for the students to feel confident and enthusiastic, it is important that the students receive necessary information with a teacher who is confident and enthusiastic. As a teacher, I strive to be confident and enthusiastic as I provide information to my students. Students will be better able to deal with the day to day aspects of learning when the provider of information (that is the teacher) is actually able to provide this information in a confident and enthusiastic manner that is appropriate to the learner’s level of performance.
Motivation is necessary for learning to be effective (Stepanovien?, A., 2017; Kivunja, 2014; De Vries, 2016). As a teacher, I strive to encourage students to express their views without fear of judgment by others. Once students are able to feel encouraged and confident about their learning, they will be better able to face the challenges that occur in day to day life. The process of motivating students on its own is not simple. It requires that I consider many important and stringent aspects during the actual process of motivation. These particular aspects include intrinsic motivators and the extrinsic motivators. The intrinsic motivators are the factors that increase fascination in the subject matter and that develop relevance of the subject matter at the end of the day (National Research Council, 2013). These factors are student bound. Intrinsic motivation can be developed when the students actually like the subject and see its usefulness and applicability in real word situations. It is necessary, as a teacher, to identify what really motivates the students to ensure that they are better able to be motivated by what they are learning. I strive to bring in practical aspects of the topics I teach into the classroom as real world situations to ensure that the student is better able to feel motivated.
Another important aspect, that I should consider the aspect of extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation on its own includes the aspects that are outside the student or extrinsic to the student (National Research Council, 2013). This particular aspects include the expectations by their parents or significant others after learning, the grades that they want to attain and my own expectations of them as my students. Extrinsic factors of motivation can lead to stress if they are not provided in an appropriate manner. I strive to balance my expectations with the student’s potential and actual capabilities in the classroom. Students will be better able to perform if they are not pressured. As a teacher, I set realistic expectations for my students that they can achieve at the end of the day.
Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
I must be ready to perform diverse roles in the classroom. My role in the classroom is varied in nature and does not only entail being a facilitator of information mainly. However, as a facilitator I strive to be a helper in the process of discovery of new ideas and concepts. In addition to being a facilitator, I strive to be a teacher an instructor, a coach, a mentor and a counselor to the students. The existence of these dynamic roles is necessary because students need to be educated on many aspects of life as necessary to maintain their performance both in the classroom and outside the classroom. I consider students wholly to ensure they can perform more effectively. This is the hallmark of my teaching philosophy.
In today’s world, a variety of skills and attitudes are necessary for the success of the student especially in the school level. Especially considering that there are many technological advancements and day to day changes and challenges, new ways of educating the student and fostering knowledge are necessary for the performance of the student. The 21st century skills in the classroom ultimately are in reference to a broad set of skills, knowledge, habits of working and the specific personalities and character traits that are employed by teachers, educators, coaches, the reformers of educational institutions (among other members of the educational fraternity) with an aim of improving the degrees of performance of the students and to ensure that the highest quality education is provided for (?enda?, S., & Odaba??, H. F. , 2009).
Despite there being no complete definition of the 21st century skills in the classroom, the National Research Council in the United Sates on the Assessment of the 21st Century skills categorized the 21st century skills into the cognitive skills, the interpersonal skills and the intrapersonal skills. Cognitive skills were grouped into critical thinking, problem solving and systems thinking. Interpersonal skills include cultural sensitivity, social skills and complex communication. The committee further divided the intrapersonal skills into self-development, self-regulation, the ability to execute functioning (National Research Council, 2013; Meyer, 2017). These skills can be properly used employed in the school level and classroom level to improve the performance of the students in question in various ways.
These 21st century skills are easily applicable throughout the various types of teaching- that is the skills can be applied in varied teaching areas including in practical lessons and theoretical perspectives. But this skills are more applicable in the classroom setting. The concept and theory of 21st century skills has not been fully defined or put into a specific category. However, the specified types of 21st century skills in teaching have been well presupposed and organized into appropriate categories (Stepanovien?, A., 2017; Kivunja, 2014).
The 21st century skills employ a variable list of work habits, skills and knowledge. Though the definition of the 21st century skills has not been fully defined, particular aspects that are present within it have been defined. One of the aspects within the 21st century skills include the use of critical thinking and problem solving (Jenkins, 2009; Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. , 2003). Critical thinking can be applied in the classroom whereby students are provided with a problem that requires them to rationalize and derive the appropriate solution. In the school setting this category of 21st century skill is especially significant in improving student performance.
In addition to critical thinking and problem solving as a concept to be applied in the classroom during the 21st century teaching, the use of appropriate research skills platys a significant part as a 21st century skill. Research skills in the school and classroom are necessary if the student is ready to perform. Considering that the 21st century is built on innovations and technological advancements, the application of research skills is necessary for any student. As a teacher, providing students with up to date information that is viable and appropriate is essential but also giving them an opportunity to research and find out new concepts on their own is of pivotal significance (Goodyear, 1998).
Students should also be encouraged to express themselves in the school level and classroom levels and delve into their curiosity. The aspect of self-expression is essential in a classroom environment. Those students who do not have the confidence for self-expression should be encouraged to express themselves. During a class or lesion session, students should be encouraged to express the meaning of the concepts that they have understood and to show what they know. The use of a judgmental stance should not be elicited to students but rather an understanding tone that is appropriate for the students in question. Confidence in the 21st century is of significance and it can only be built through self-expression (Jenkins, 2009; Kivunja, 2014).
Considering the immense proportion of illnesses that are present in the 21st century, the application of education on health and wellness is paramount to classroom teaching in the 21st century. Students in the 21st century need to be taught on appropriate prevention measures of illness. The developments in science and technology mean that movement from one place to another has increased, and so has the spread of disease and infirmity. To curb this, students are taught on common conditions (Stepanovien?, A., 2017; National Research Council, 2013).
The use of technology in the teaching sessions is yet another highly significant factor when considering 21st century skills. Technology is an essential tool in the 21s century which is highly significant. Although there are many teaching resources, the adoption of technology in a classroom session is an essential skill in the 21st century. A teacher should be literate in aspects of information communication and technology. In addition, a teacher should be able to accurately interpret the data that is collected during sessions and give adequate and appropriate deductions from this data. The ability to analyze data is of pivotal significance to a teacher during his teaching sessions (National Research Council, 2013).
Conclusion
Conclusively, the 21st skills for teaching are hallmarked on the fact that teaching should be essentially built up on the provision of the most relevant and up to date information. In addition to this, the skills that have been universally adopted should be incorporated into the classroom sessions. Application of this skills in the school and classroom levels is essential to improve performance of the students. The employing of teaching methods which are both universally acceptable and up to date ensure that students are up to speed with the latest development in the 21st century.
The main concept in the 21st century skills is that the students who are in the 20th century and those in the 21st century have different needs in terms of the way they can and should be taught. This needs are brought about by the diversity and developments that have taken place in science and technology over the years. The application of the 21st century skills in a classroom is also dependent on what the specific students are learning. Learner needs are inherent to the type of skill that is employed. The learning method used in the 21st century should not only be leaner centered but also meet the needs of the community as they arise.
References
Ananiadou, K., & Claro, M. . (2009). 21st century skills and competences for new millennium learners in OECD countries.
Atkinson, M., & Dawson, D. (2016). Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement.
Beatty, J. E., Leigh, J. S., & Lund Dean, K. . (2009). Finding our roots: An exercise for creating a personal teaching philosophy statement. Journal of Management Education, 33(1), 115-130.
Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House, 83(2), 39-43.
Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., & Rumble, M. (2012). Defining twenty-first century skills. In Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills. Springer, Dordrecht.
Cahn, S. M. . (2018). Teaching Philosophy: A Guide. Routledge.
De Vries, M. J. (2016). Teaching about technology: An introduction to the philosophy of technology for non-philosophers. Springer.
Dede, C. (2010). Comparing frameworks for 21st century skills. 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn,. 20, 51-76.
Gay, G., & Howard, T. C. . (2000). Multicultural teacher education for the 21st century. The Teacher Educator,.
Goodyear, G. E. (1998).). Statements of teaching philosophy. . To improve the academy, 17(1), 103-121.
Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. . (2003). Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. . American psychologist.
Jenkins, H. P. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. . Mit Press.
Kivunja, C. (2014). Do you want your students to be job-ready with 21st century skills? Change pedagogies: A pedagogical paradigm shift from Vygotskyian social constructivism to critical thinking,problem solving and Siemens’ digital connectivism. . International Journal of Higher Education, 3(3), 81.
Meyer, J. W. (2017). School knowledge for the masses: World models and national primary curricular categories in the twentieth century. Routledge.
National Research Council. (2013). Education for life and work: Developing transferable knowledge and skills in the 21st century. . National Academies Press.
?enda?, S., & Odaba??, H. F. . (2009). Effects of an online problem based learning course on content knowledge acquisition and critical thinking skills. Computers & Education, 53(1), 132-141.
Stepanovien?, A. (2017). The importance of selecting a teaching/learning strategy in studies of a professional language.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
