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Keishunna Hardeman

Dr. Hackett

EDCI 3200 W

November 22, 2018

Teaching Philosophy

There is no rule book to inform teachers of how to be a “teacher.” If there are rule books

that exist to inform teachers of how to be a teacher, those rulebooks are imperfect. I believe that

each group of students, a teacher encounters, are different and unique. As a result, what works

for one student may not always work for the next student. I would describe my teaching

philosophy as bold, broad, and challenging. My target students are young adolescents in urban

areas. I will implement social-justice oriented curriculum and student-directed curriculum in my

classroom. Moreover, there are several injustices in the education system so, it is my duty to

ensure that my future students are not subjected to the injustices normally a part of a public

education. It is the teacher’s job to pinpoint each students’ individual academic needs and cater

to those needs in public schools.

Some students are forced to make tough decisions due to real-world responsibilities. To

demonstrate, some students may drop out of school to financially provide for their families.

Teachers should not use terms like disconnected to further the stigmas associated with young

adolescents because these students already deal with unfortunate situations. For example, several

middle-school aged students are faced with the issue of residential segregation. Residential

segregation negatively impacts the education of minority groups. Schools are funded by property

taxes so, the higher the property tax in a neighborhood, the more funding the school receives in

that neighborhood. As a result, residential segregation directly affects minority students.

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Residential segregation and racial segregation have existed for decades. Residential segregation

ensures that the “poor” continue receiving poor educational outcomes. As a pre-service social

justice-oriented teacher, I strongly believe that all students should receive the same education

regardless of their race, ethnicity, identity, or socioeconomic status. Students do not choose to be

poor. For this reason, students should be given the tools necessary to lift them out of their

circumstances because equity trumps equality.

Racial violence is a triggering topic for everyone in the United States. Racial violence is

especially a triggering topic to address in the classroom. Certain teachers are opposed to

discussing racial violence in their classrooms because discussing such a serious topic could

enrage students. However, I do agree with Richard Milner’s assertion that racial violence is a

topic that needs to be discussed with black and brown students. Additionally, racial violence

should be discussed with all students no matter what race they are. Teachers should be prepared

to speak with students regarding uncomfortable topics such as racial violence. As a teacher, I

will leave my opinion out of conversations about race and provide students the resources and

data required to construct an informed stance regarding racism and racial violence in the world.

Teaching middle school students in today’s racially charged climate will not be an easy

task. However, I must look past the challenges that accompany middle school to truly enjoy

being a middle-level teacher. Middle-level students and teachers will experience ups and downs.

Brown and Knowles emphasize that the period that middle school students experience is

“young” or “early” adolescence. Young adolescence is unique; therefore, teachers should

connect with their students in unique ways. I will make connections by responding to my

students’ unique behaviors with empathy and acceptance. As a pre-service middle-level teacher,

I must develop a deep understanding of my students. Furthermore, it is not enough for me to be

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an expert in content knowledge. The content in which I teach should directly correlate with my

students’ developmental needs.

Public education does not consider the needs of individual students. For instance,

standardized exams are not appropriate measures of individual intelligence. There is no perfect

measure of intelligence. Dynamic assessments address the inadequacies that come with

“measuring intelligence.” These assessments do not only include lectures and multiple-choice

tests. Students do not learn by passively listening to lectures. Furthermore, there has been an

ongoing rhythm of lecture, multiple-choice test, lecture, multiple-choice test in the school

system. The previous school setup causes students to disengage from classroom content. I

believe that teachers must relate classroom content to their students. In this way, students will

remain engaged throughout lessons. When students are engaged in the classroom, meaningful

learning takes place. Dynamic lessons and assessments test students in ways that deviate from

the norm. Therefore, I will use dynamic lessons and assessments to promote active learning in

my classroom.

I will ensure that active learning occurs in my future classroom by making students feel

like they are a part of their learning process because young adolescents learn by doing. I

understand that limitations must be set in the classroom; however, I do not want the limitations

to become stifling. I want my students to be free in the classroom. I do not want to contribute to

the school to prison pipeline in any way. Schools and jails operate in the same manner and

implement the same set of rules. School is a place where students should be able to develop their

personalities, behaviors, hopes, and dreams. However, school rules are set in place for valid

reasons. To explain, studies show that school uniforms reduce bullying and metal detectors

prevent school shootings. Though, bullying and school shootings take place even with the
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precautions that schools take. I am not entering the teaching profession to act as a prison officer.

The more schools treat students like prisoners; the more students will give into the notion that

they are criminals and begin behaving as such.

There is little democracy in schools for students and teachers. Middle school curriculum is

not typically based on the characteristics of young adolescents because it does not consider the

needs and interests of students. Middle schools are unable to engage students if they do not relate

the curriculum to the students. Students should feel comfortable enough to express themselves in

school. However, students are not compelled to express themselves in stifling settings. Factory

and prison culture are inhumane and should not be employed in schools. The current nature of

school settings does not allow for much scaffolding or differentiated instruction in the classroom

so, effective teaching and learning are hindered. I will relate the school curriculum as much as I

can to middle school students so that they feel like they are actively engaging in their learning.

Teaching in middle schools is about meeting students’ emotional, cognitive, and social

needs. The Association for Middle-Level Education (AMLE) outlined four important ideas

regarding educating middle-school students. The AMLE noted the following, “An education for

young adolescents must be developmentally responsive, challenging, empowering, and

equitable.” Finding a middle ground between meeting students’ needs and meeting content

standards will be challenging. However, this challenge informs my teaching. Certain structures

support the middle ground between meeting students’ needs and meeting content standards for

adolescents. Notably, teaming is an important aspect of the middle school concept. In my

experience, teaming makes team members feel safe, secure, and free. Students benefit from

teams because teams help students take control of their learning. Therefore, I will implement
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teaming in my classroom to ensure that students support each other throughout classroom

lessons.

Advisory sessions are effective ways to maintain student-to-student or student-to-teacher

relationships. If I have the opportunity to facilitate an advisory class during my teaching career; I

will address the adversities that middle-level students experience during their schooling. Another

structure that supports adolescents is flexible scheduling. Flexible scheduling will help me

maximize learning opportunities for students to participate in active learning processes.

Exploratory curriculums also facilitate active learning by providing students with opportunities

to explore during the school day. I will use an exploratory curriculum because the purpose of

school is to assist students with finding their niche in life. Exploratory curriculums help teachers

guide their students to knowledge instead of providing them with all the answers. The previous

supports will help foster a classroom that constantly evolves, adapts, and faciliates student-

centered learning.

Physical development is a unique experience for young adolescents. Middle-level students’

physical development affects their learning opportunities. For instance, one middle school

strategically implemented mirrors in each classroom to reduce the time students spent in the

restroom each day. This small change in learning environments increased the amount of learning

that took place each day. As can be seen, small changes can have significant effects in classroom

settings. I will try to understand the issues that my students experience to find solutions that

support their learning. Listening to middle school students may also help them cope with their

physical developments. Middle school is a difficult experience because students are fixated on

their physical appearances and their peers’ thoughts regarding their physical appearances. All
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things considered, I will treat middle-schoolers normally because their physical development is

normal.

All in all, I plan to address emotional and social concerns through curriculum, school

programs, and the development of a personal healthy relationship with each student. I hope to

find various ways to play an active role in the lives of my future students. I will maintain student

engagement in the classroom by giving middle schoolers a certain level of involvement in

curriculum design. If middle schoolers feel that they are in control of their education, they may

begin to take their education more seriously. Middle-level curriculum should be challenging,

exploratory, integrative, and relevant. The approach that I choose regarding curriculum

organization will be based on the group of students I teach because students shape the

curriculum. Technology plays a huge role in the lives of young adolescents. As a result, I will

use several forms of technology such as podcasts, digital stories, digital concept maps,

infographics, and more in my classroom. The perfect teaching philosophy does not exist because

navigating how to be a teacher is not a simple task. The teaching philosophies of exceptional

educators will always change because learning is not a stagnant process.