My Teaching Philosophy

In my years as a student I have come to value the power that literature and writing can have on every aspect of life. It has become apparent to me that both reading and writing allow us to extend and deepen our thinking and understanding of the world around us. As an English teacher I want to share that knowledge with my students and instill in them the value of writing and the application of literature in their every-day life. I believe that the way to bridge the gap that students often feel between the subject of English and their every-day lives is to present students with a wide variety of literature and opportunities for discussion and writing.

            I believe that, as Leslie Marman Silko says in Ceremony, “You don’t have anything if you don’t have the stories.” Stories do not just tell us about someone’s life, but can help us to learn more about our own identity. Stories can be found in all types of literature, fiction and non-fiction. For example, resumes can tells a story about experience and who a person really is. Writing is not just a collection of stories and essays, but a way to extend their thinking and understanding of the world. I plan to help students understand this by offering students numerous opportunities to write. Writing opportunities will be a core part of my instruction. I will give students the opportunity to learn effective ways to write about themselves, literature, and the world around them. The focus of these writing opportunities will not lie solely on the essay but also on forms such as poetry, narratives, and daily journals. There will be opportunities for creative writing as well as scholarly writing.

            In addition to covering a wide variety of genres, I believe that it is important to allow students some freedom in their writing. I will offer prompts that allow students several different options and topics to explore. Scholarly writing prompts will be open enough for students to explore several avenues. Most poetry and narratives will be open for students to explore their own ideas. I believe that when students are given freedom to write about what they want, they are more able to connect personally with writing. They are more able to find value in their writing. I think it is important to allow students freedom in the beginning. However, as students’ writing skills improve I think it is crucial to require students to focus in on assigned topics. Focus on a certain topic teaches students how to write for a defined purpose and audience.

            Grading strategies are also vital to fostering students’ interest in writing. I believe that when students first begin writing, it is important to grade solely on participation. On early drafts and writing projects it is simply important to give encouraging comments that will guide students to strengthen their writing skills and ideas. I believe that the end product is what is truly important. This approach gives students an opportunity to express opinions in non-threatening way and gives me an opportunity to see where they stand in their skill and understanding. As I teacher, I will require several drafts before a grade is given. I think that by allowing for drafts,  my students will be more able to improve their writing because they feel that they are not being judged for the early efforts. By grading only the final product, I think students will find grading to be fair and easier to understand.

            Writing has shaped my life in many ways. Throughout my schooling I have learned that words are powerful. I hope to instill in students this same idea. Through teaching many forms of writing,  I will give students the freedom to explore different topics and  through gradual grading students will be to see writing as a non-threatening and enjoyable experience. They will come to see that stories and words matter.