PURPOSE OF EDUCATION
In our society today, information is literally at one's fingertips. A classroom teacher is no longer the
primary means through which students will discover information. Consequently, the purpose of
education is no longer to simply provide students with facts and formulae they will need for their lives.
Rather, education must now focus on teaching students how to process and evaluate the information
they accumulate in their lives. Education must also help students learn how to present their information
in an effective and appropriate manner.
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER
I believe the primary role of the teacher in the classroom is to be a facilitator of student learning. A
teacher should provide students with the resources and information they need to develop and grow in
their understanding of the topic at hand. However, I do not believe that teachers should always be
passive while students create their own learning experiences. I believe that teachers hold valuable
information that students need to learn, whether that be facts and figures, or, more importantly,
strategies and processes. There is a time for student-directed discovery and a time for teacher-led
instruction. A good teacher is able to determine which is most appropriate for any given lesson and in
this way provide students with an education that helps them not only to learn but to learn how to learn.
TEACHING METHODS
I believe it is important to recognize that each student is an individual with unique learning styles and
needs. Therefore, using only one method of teaching is insufficient to be effective in the classroom. I
must make a deliberate effort to vary my classroom methods to reach each learner in a meaningful way.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a good guideline to keep in mind when planning lessons.
While every intelligence cannot be addressed in a single lesson, I believe that with effort, each can be
addressed during the course of a school day. Not only will this ensure that the intelligences of all
students will be engaged during the day, but it will also ensure that lessons do not become monotonous
and boring. It is easy to revert to one’s ‘natural’ teaching method (whichever one is most comfortable
using); however, deliberately varying one’s teaching style is always worth the effort because reaching
students effectively is of the utmost importance.
THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT
I believe students should be active participants in their learning. Regardless of the effort a teacher puts
into creating a lesson that is engaging and dynamic, students determine their level of engagement and
therefore the effectiveness of the lesson. It is understood that factors such as learning and behavioural
exceptionalities, challenging family situations, and even classroom dynamics can all factor into a
student’s willingness to engage in learning opportunities. As a teacher, I must make every effort to
mitigate those obstacles while maintaining a positive and progressive learning environment for the
class as a whole. However, ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to maximize the classroom
experience.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
I believe parents should be actively involved in the education of their children. Everything children are
taught in school means nothing if they are unable to apply that information to situations outside of the
school building. Parents are key to helping students successfully make those applications. Ideally,
parents should be aware of classroom learning and be able to draw and build on that learning in the
home environment. However, not all parents will be as interested in engaging in the education of their
children as perhaps is ideal. Therefore, as a teacher, I believe it is my duty to do what I can to
encourage and facilitate parental involvement. This can be achieved by sending home clear
communication about what children are learning, and also suggesting ways that parents can reinforce
and build on that learning at home. While not every child comes from a supportive home environment, I
do believe that parents can be a significant aid to their children as they help them to make connections
from the classroom to their everyday life.
In our society today, information is literally at one's fingertips. A classroom teacher is no longer the
primary means through which students will discover information. Consequently, the purpose of
education is no longer to simply provide students with facts and formulae they will need for their lives.
Rather, education must now focus on teaching students how to process and evaluate the information
they accumulate in their lives. Education must also help students learn how to present their information
in an effective and appropriate manner.
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER
I believe the primary role of the teacher in the classroom is to be a facilitator of student learning. A
teacher should provide students with the resources and information they need to develop and grow in
their understanding of the topic at hand. However, I do not believe that teachers should always be
passive while students create their own learning experiences. I believe that teachers hold valuable
information that students need to learn, whether that be facts and figures, or, more importantly,
strategies and processes. There is a time for student-directed discovery and a time for teacher-led
instruction. A good teacher is able to determine which is most appropriate for any given lesson and in
this way provide students with an education that helps them not only to learn but to learn how to learn.
TEACHING METHODS
I believe it is important to recognize that each student is an individual with unique learning styles and
needs. Therefore, using only one method of teaching is insufficient to be effective in the classroom. I
must make a deliberate effort to vary my classroom methods to reach each learner in a meaningful way.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a good guideline to keep in mind when planning lessons.
While every intelligence cannot be addressed in a single lesson, I believe that with effort, each can be
addressed during the course of a school day. Not only will this ensure that the intelligences of all
students will be engaged during the day, but it will also ensure that lessons do not become monotonous
and boring. It is easy to revert to one’s ‘natural’ teaching method (whichever one is most comfortable
using); however, deliberately varying one’s teaching style is always worth the effort because reaching
students effectively is of the utmost importance.
THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT
I believe students should be active participants in their learning. Regardless of the effort a teacher puts
into creating a lesson that is engaging and dynamic, students determine their level of engagement and
therefore the effectiveness of the lesson. It is understood that factors such as learning and behavioural
exceptionalities, challenging family situations, and even classroom dynamics can all factor into a
student’s willingness to engage in learning opportunities. As a teacher, I must make every effort to
mitigate those obstacles while maintaining a positive and progressive learning environment for the
class as a whole. However, ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to maximize the classroom
experience.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
I believe parents should be actively involved in the education of their children. Everything children are
taught in school means nothing if they are unable to apply that information to situations outside of the
school building. Parents are key to helping students successfully make those applications. Ideally,
parents should be aware of classroom learning and be able to draw and build on that learning in the
home environment. However, not all parents will be as interested in engaging in the education of their
children as perhaps is ideal. Therefore, as a teacher, I believe it is my duty to do what I can to
encourage and facilitate parental involvement. This can be achieved by sending home clear
communication about what children are learning, and also suggesting ways that parents can reinforce
and build on that learning at home. While not every child comes from a supportive home environment, I
do believe that parents can be a significant aid to their children as they help them to make connections
from the classroom to their everyday life.
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