Achieving Social Solidarity as a Teaching Philosophy Statement
Teachers who carry out their philosophy know what needs to be the standards inside educational institutions. They must have a philosophical inventory appropriate for them and their students before establishing the learning environment they ought to achieve. These so-called philosophies may be merely short descriptions, but they keep us on the right track.
My philosophy is to teach students to learn, make them what they want, and prepare them as leaders of tomorrow who will address social issues. Paulo Freire, a critical theorist, believes that someone should eradicate the current system and re-establish it without oppression, improving human conditions. My goal is to develop my students' awareness to make them critically conscious of being part of the change.
As a Social Studies major, it is crucial to teach students social issues to visualize what it is to be underprivileged. One way for that to happen is by showing them real-life videos and discussing what is wrong and the possible solutions for these historical errors. I will ask them for their feedback to understand how they can learn more in my given activities. Also, I am eyeing panel discussions because they let students do their research and discuss the topic in their ways. The reason why a panel discussion is suitable is that students can exchange ideas with peers.
I will give specific criteria beforehand to describe how they can prepare for the activity. When I was in SLU-SHS, my teacher told me they should not assign activities without a single criterion. Students should at least have these, and again, because they should know their benchmarks. On the other hand, once I grade them, it will show what they and I lack. Every activity should let students share their opinions on whether there is an organized flow and what we should improve as a class.
Students ignore or give less importance to social studies because they recognize it as unnecessary in their future profession, neglecting what is outside the world. For that reason, my teaching method will be more challenging because I think learning is not limited to activities such as 20-point quizzes, essays, or drawings. I want them to engage in activities that will enhance their learning experience from perspectives they can perceive and perform their civic responsibilities. Someday, I hope it will help them move forward from all walks of life and be part of society, functioning towards solidarity.
REFLECTION
Ambitions and plans for my future profession are uncomplicated and exciting to think about. When I was constructing the first two paragraphs, you can see my dedication to finishing my program. However, as I was moving to the following paragraphs, I realized that there is more that I need to learn before establishing my desired learning environment for my students. It is easy to express my visions for them, but I should ask myself how I am supposed to accomplish them without being halfway through college.
But, for sure, I realized more from the activity why I want to finish my program and become a teacher. I may be far from the so-called reality, but my dedication to pursuing my dreams for myself and my students is alive.
