First and foremost, I believe that learning is important and that learning is fun. I believe that all students can learn and that all students can succeed. This does not mean that all will succeed in the same way but I do believe that students can be taught in such a way that they become life-long learners: people who continue to learn, for the sake of learning, for the rest of their lives.
What does learning look like?
Teaching is more than delivery of content. I strive to not merely “cover” a chapter but teach it in an authentic way. Authentic learning is multifaceted. For example, I must love learning because I am the positive role model in the classroom for my students. The students must also see the purpose of learning. Children are naturally gifted at asking questions and I believe that is one reason why young children learn so quickly in their formative years. Inquiry-based learning is important because students need to know why they are learning something and they need to see the connection that it has to their daily lives—this is authentic learning.
How do you measure learning?
Just as authentic learning is important, so also is authentic assessment. As a teacher, I want to know if my students are really getting the “big idea” of what I am teaching. In order to do this I must use formative assessments to gauge their understanding while I teach and use summative assessments to help the students see what they have learned and to help me, as the teacher, know how to improve my teaching.
What is essential to learning?
People need other people, and for this reason, cooperative learning is crucial. With cooperative learning also comes management issues. My belief is that students need to learn responsibility at a young age and know that they are responsible for their words and actions. Character is important and I believe that the Biblical model of upright character is one that all should aspire too.
How do we learn best?
What skill sets does the 21st century learner need?
In today’s ever-changing world it is of utmost importance that I keep up with technology because the students in the 21st century classroom have different skill sets that they will need in the real world. Part and parcel with this is the recognition that many of today’s children are lacking the ability to problem solve. By teaching them strategies and problem solving skills I am preparing them to be capable problem solvers for every situation that they might encounter.
Concluding Thoughts
Learning is important and I love to see students succeed at what they previously thought they could never succeed at. My goal is to help every child I teach love learning, discover their strengths, and become young men and women character who positively impact this 21st century world.
