My Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy has been greatly influenced by the time I have spent working with students in and outside the classroom, the teaching mentors that I have had, and my own experiences as a learner. I believe that the most important role of a teacher is to help students develop positive social, emotional and meta-cognitive skills. These skills encourage students to be successful in a wide range of pursuits. They also create the foundation for students to become confident, caring, and responsible citizens. I have witnessed how an improved ability to recognize emotions, to work through failure or difficult challenges, and to regulate behaviour in order to make positive choices can allow students to reach whole new levels of personal and academic success.
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In order for these goals to be achieved, it is integral that teachers foster an environment that facilitates positive emotions, meaningful and engaging learning experiences, and opportunities for authentic connections between teachers and peers. Character traits such as focus, self-efficacy, cooperation, curiosity, gratitude, and optimism need to be explicitly explored, modelled, and practiced in the classroom. I constantly work with students to help them nurture growth mindsets, so that they can appreciate the fact that intelligence isn’t fixed and can be developed. I find that this creates a deeper hunger for knowledge, and also allows them to better deal with setbacks such as a poor grade or struggling through a complex concept.
My teaching style is constantly evolving as I take new courses, read education literature, and reflect on conversations with fellow teachers. Student-centered education in a challenging, yet pleasurable classroom environment is central to my teaching pedagogy. I often take on the role of a facilitator, who encourages student agency and risk-taking. I find that peer-peer learning often leads to increased engagement, confidence, and depth of knowledge. In my curriculum development, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of experiential, inquiry-based, and placed-based learning. I work to create opportunities for students to connect course content to their experiences, local communities, and culture. These connections give meaning to what can often be abstract concepts, and in my experience also lead to more enthusiastic learning.
I understand the vital role differentiated teaching and assessment for learning play in creating a classroom in which students can be and feel successful. I believe that assessment should focus far more on growth of skills rather than an accumulation of facts. I also put a lot of value on personal reflection throughout the learning process, as a tool to add more depth to the learning experience and for students to take increased ownership of their learning.
Teaching is one of the most fulfilling pursuits that I can imagine. I am constantly surprised, motivated, and challenged by the students that I teach. I believe that many of the questions that we contemplate about how to become better teachers also help us to become better people.
Neva Bassingthwaite
My teaching style is constantly evolving as I take new courses, read education literature, and reflect on conversations with fellow teachers. Student-centered education in a challenging, yet pleasurable classroom environment is central to my teaching pedagogy. I often take on the role of a facilitator, who encourages student agency and risk-taking. I find that peer-peer learning often leads to increased engagement, confidence, and depth of knowledge. In my curriculum development, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of experiential, inquiry-based, and placed-based learning. I work to create opportunities for students to connect course content to their experiences, local communities, and culture. These connections give meaning to what can often be abstract concepts, and in my experience also lead to more enthusiastic learning.
I understand the vital role differentiated teaching and assessment for learning play in creating a classroom in which students can be and feel successful. I believe that assessment should focus far more on growth of skills rather than an accumulation of facts. I also put a lot of value on personal reflection throughout the learning process, as a tool to add more depth to the learning experience and for students to take increased ownership of their learning.
Teaching is one of the most fulfilling pursuits that I can imagine. I am constantly surprised, motivated, and challenged by the students that I teach. I believe that many of the questions that we contemplate about how to become better teachers also help us to become better people.
Neva Bassingthwaite