As an educator, I have distinct goals for what I wish to impart upon my students. There is first the state and national standards, now referred to as the Common Core Standards, that have been aligned for their grade level. In addition to that, I will teach my student other life lessons. These lessons will include helping them become critical thinkers and team players which are integral parts of living in the real world. I will instill in them the knowledge that learning is not just something that happens while they’re at school but every moment of their lives. I will help them find ways to accept what they cannot change in life but to find ways to rise above it. Just as Gardner believes, I feel that there are many types of learners. It will be my job to adapt my lessons which will be aligned to the state and national standards to fit the individual learning needs of my students. I will create varied lessons and activities that will engage all of the students in learning and will develop varied assessment tools that allow all students to demonstrate their mastery of a subject or skill. I will encourage students to use higher levels of thinking and reasoning. I will find ways to ensure material learned is meaningful and relevant to their lives. I believe that my role as a teacher is not to simply teach but to guide my students so that they will be explorers of knowledge by themselves.
Together, we will develop a classroom environment, which will allow us to achieve the goals that we have set in place for ourselves. As a class we will build a community in which everyone feels safe and conducive to learning. I believe that we should all feel comfortable to make mistakes, take risks, and grow together in our failures and successes. We will accomplish this by setting the rules and procedures for the class together. We will also learn to work cohesively together in groups as well as independently. I will be fair but firm with my students and allow them the opportunity to be accountable for their own actions and work.
Finally, I will model for my students what I expect of them. I will display my passion for learning and discovery, I will behave in a professional, respectful manner, I will reflect on my teaching practices to discover how I can become a more effective teacher, and continue to participate in professional growth opportunities. My main goal will be that every student is not only prepared for the next grade level but also for the life and obstacles that lie ahead of them.
