Philosophy of Teaching Essay Written by: Christoper Gyro T. Magbaleta For me an ideal STEM educator is someone who is knowledgeable yet keeps an open mind. He possesses mastery of the subject matter and is a lifelong learner because the body of scientific knowledge expands continuously while building upon earlier theories. He shows simple applications of every scientific concept or principle he is teaching. When students understand the relevance of what they are studying, they naturally become interested. He utilizes teaching strategies that make advantage of hightech mediums like videos, slideshows, and interactive simulations. I help students to see the world with a new perspective, craft a learning environment where they can explore and understand how the natural world works and apply complex scientific concepts to their daily lives, build their confidence in their ability to solve challenging problems and empower them to build a better future for humanity. I love science and enjoy discovering how the natural world works. I would like to share this enthusiasm with my students. I inspire them to discover the fascinating things around them and learn more about the natural world. Teaching science makes learning enjoyable. My goals in teaching science are to dispel the darkness of ignorance by enlightening minds with scientific knowledge, inculcate the methods and instruments in doing scientific research, enable students to make informed and responsible decisions concerning science-related social issues, and inspire students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. I am knowledgeable of the interconnections across different subjects. I have mastery of the subject matter. I always make sure that the information that I convey is accurate because my students rely on me as their primary source of information. I utilize information and communications technology by presenting videos, images, slideshows, and interactive simulations to enhance the teaching and learning process. In order to develop their higher order thinking skills, I stimulate profound thinking from my students by asking questions that stimulate exploration of the subject matter. To thoroughly comprehend what students are thinking, I evaluate their responses and seek further explanation or clarification. In order to maintain a learning environment where students feel comfortable to recite, I am mindful about how I handle incorrect and inadequate answers. I set a good example and act proactively to establish rules for treating others with respect in the classroom. I promote a culture of lifelong learning. I inspire learners to generate ideas and move beyond memorization to develop their higher order thinking skills. I have high regard for my students, and they reciprocate it by upholding my standards and showing a genuine interest in the subject matter. I take the time to learn about my students’ locality, socioeconomic status, abilities, talents, skills, and interests. Knowing my students and understanding their strengths and weaknesses helps me to build a productive and fun learning environment, where all of them can flourish. I use a variety of teaching strategies to meet the needs of each learner. I create opportunities for all students to participate in class discussion or activity. My fellow teachers may be a great source of encouragement and improvement. Together, we may share insights while offering support to one another. I joined the KaSaMa Teachers Community, a professional online community of science and mathematics educators. I show professionalism by maintaining ethical conduct, following school rules and regulations, and having integrity in my work. I am responsive to the needs of the students, school, and community. My experience in STEM teaching made me realize that each of my passionate students have the potential to succeed in a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM teaching and learning is very rewarding, with lots of excitement and creativity. For the advancement of science and technology in the country, STEM education must be strengthened. The learning environment must resemble the workplace in order for the students to be familiarized with the workplace in the STEM industry. There must be sufficient high quality equipment in every science laboratory. I used a television to present a slideshow of the lesson, enhancing the teaching and learning process. I joined the KaSaMa Teachers Community, a professional online community of science and mathematics educators. I attended a webinar entitled Relaying Signals with Space Satellites.
