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Teaching Philosophy Statement
I believe that teaching is not an exact science, but an art form that is constantly
changing, and evolving along with societal wants and needs towards public education.
For example, as our society becomes ever more diverse, the need for not only bilingual
teachers, but teachers who are culturally diverse, will increase to ensure every students’
academic success. Teachers as well as students should share in the responsibility of
creating the learning experience. As a bilingual educator in an elementary school, I feel
that it is essential for me to prepare my English Language Learners for a brighter future
by providing them with the proper foundations in language on which to build future
academic success.
Language is so important to learning that when English is the only language used
for instruction, learners that do not completely comprehend English are delayed
(California State Department of Education, 1974). As a result, a teacher cannot begin to
instruct or develop students’ abilities without addressing immediate needs in a students’
language development. Bilingual Education meets the needs of my students by
introducing them to the English language while providing a much needed foundation in
their native language. Research has shown that a strong foundation in native language is
extremely important in order for English language learners to learn academic language
easier and thus ensures that students receive a well-rounded education in all subject areas
(Karathanos, 2010).
I have discovered that not all students will learn the same way, at the same pace
or in the same manner; therefore, while I still maintain that a teacher must be passionate
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about teaching, an ability to be flexible is equally as important. Now that I am teaching,
my objective is not as focused on making my students all learn at the same time, but on
facilitating the learning process by making attainable goals for my students that are
appropriate to their level and ability. Lessons are planned around the class as a whole
while accommodations are then made for any individualized instruction that needs to take
place. My teaching style is hands on, supplemented with learning tools that help clarify
the curriculum and each student express their full potential as an English language
learner. As is stated in the article Bilingual-Bicultural Education and English-as-aSecond-Language Education: A Framework for Elementary and Secondary Schools
(1974), “To give a child dignity is to respect his language, his heritage and his beliefs,
and his abilities, whatever they may be. That is what bilingual education is all about” (p.
5). To me this is very important because if I want to ensure that my students have the
skills to learn and communicate in English, I must ensure that the students feel confident
in their native tongue and culture first; so they can then develop a strong foundation that
will allow them to progress to learning English.
Even though a highly effective teacher must bring a passion for teaching into the
classroom, a student must also bring a passion for learning. The student must be open to
receiving knowledge and place trust in their teacher’s competency to guide him or her to
sources of information. For example, being given the full attention from my students
lends me the opportunity to engage them in math concepts that may be challenging for
them not because a given concept is too difficult, but because of the language barrier.
However, by mastering a concept in English, I am able to foster growth and
understanding of language, in a much easier fashion.
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Bilingual education takes place during the early years of child development and
education, where children can be very susceptible to feelings of pressure and failure, and
thus provides a safety net to children who would otherwise get left behind at the
beginning of the teaching-learning process because of their inability to focus their
attention under pressure. Research has found that in order for English language learners
to be successful in junior and high school, they must first overcome the obstacle of
elementary school (Curiel & Richek, 1985).
In my classroom, I am constantly evaluating my effectiveness as a teacher by
assessing my students’ progress with the use of informal and formal observations. As I
teach, I take into account the needs of my students and the requirements of my district,
school and grade level. I present information in my lessons associated with those needs
and correlate them with the language goals I aim to achieve. I monitor my students’
interactions during group activities to see what concepts they are grasping as a whole and
to see what concepts need to be reinforced on an individual basis. Once I feel that the
concepts are understood, I then set up an environment for them to then apply the concepts
hands on. For example, during a math lesson, I taught measurement. I first introduced the
vocabulary, and then I asked them questions to activate prior knowledge, such as what is
longer, what is shorter. Later, I gave them different items to measure like, tables, books,
and school boxes using a rubber foot that is part of my curriculum. The students enjoyed
the activity because they got to walk around and interact with their classmates, but at the
same time they were able to further understand the concept I was teaching by actually
measuring themselves and they were able to expand their English language, since during
math the language of instruction is English.
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There are many wonderful rewards that come with being a bilingual teacher and
the positive impact that one can have on the students, parents and community is
immeasurable. I am very passionate about teaching because I have witnessed student
success when they expand their knowledge base and accomplish difficult tasks. I have
also seen how these achievements affect the students emotionally and improve their selfesteem by making them happier individuals and active contributors to their education,
family and community life. It is important for us as educators to remember that
education is a journey and not a destination. In this context I teach to ELLs who are
disadvantaged when it comes to learning in a different language and environment and so
it is necessary that I make a difference in their lives by reaching out to them. The
bilingual program sticks to a sound educational principal that allows students, who
because they do not speak English may feel negatively towards themselves and
education, feel hope (Curiel & Richek 1985).
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References:
Curiel, H. and Richek, H.(1985). Impact of Early Exposure to Bilingual Education as
Related to School Grades, Absenteeism, Grade Retentions and Incidence of
School Drop-Out: A Ten Year Study. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science,
143, 3-25.
Karathanos, K. (2010). Teaching English Language Learner Students in US Mainstream
Schools: Intersections of Language, Pedagogy, and Power. International Journal
of Inclusive Education, (14)1 49-65.
California State Department of Education (1976). Bilingual-Bicultural Education and
English-as-a-Second-Language Education: A Framework for Elementary and
Secondary Schools. California State Department of Education, Sacramento.