Philosophy of Education 2.0
Warning: This is long. Really long. I wrote this really for my own benefit, to force myself to reflect and write about what I had learned after a year of teaching. I ramble a lot. So I apologize to anyone reading this, but hopefully it sheds some light on how my brain works and how I look at education after a full year teaching. Thank you :)
July 2019:
A Personal Statement on Education and Teaching Abroad 2.0
My first philosophy of education was written at the end of my two year Bachelor of Education program, a culmination of class discussions, heated debates, intense and exhausting practicums and some hard learned lessons. I was trying to find a way to apply and implement the theories and strategies taught in teachers college into my real life classes and lessons. I felt like I had a brand new toolkit and was eager to set out and build a more inclusive, inspiring and encouraging classroom and learning environment for my students. I return to this idea, a philosophy of education, after having taught a full year as a homeroom teacher. I taught grade 6 to a group of wonderful, diverse and eager students in Malaysia at Sunway International School, a Canadian school which followed the Ontario curriculum. In many ways, this was the perfect way for me to try all the ideas and strategies I had learned firsthand, and to really test myself as a real teacher. I started 2018 full of enthusiasm, anticipation, and a healthy amount of nervousness. Looking back now after some time to reflect, I have updated and revised some of my approaches to education. In many ways, I feel even more strongly about these key teaching philosophies as I saw how they helped struggling students succeed, and more importantly, how they helped build a real learning community in the class which valued each of its members.
A Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment
Providing an atmosphere of trust, empathy and belonging was one of my main goals in setting up my own classroom. I firmly believe students should be active participants in their learning and designing a curriculum which involves them helps them to feel empowered and valued. I designed the structure and rules to reflect a student-centric approach, where they had a voice and say in our decisions. We conducted class votes for decisions which affected us all; seating plans, projects and even school initiatives. During the first days of school, I asked the students to work in groups and decide on class rules which would apply to all of us. Suggestions such as “Always listen to the teacher” and “Don’t talk in class” came up frequently, showing me the class was used to a top down approach and the teacher being the gatekeeper for all knowledge and information. They were quite surprised when I asked why no one had mentioned fun or holding each other accountable, especially the teacher. As a group we set up a short list of rules which encouraged respect, inquiry and having fun, and throughout the year they learned to question me, that I wasn’t afraid to make mistakes (and that I was fine when they corrected me), and that it was more important to take risks together and support one another than to be correct. A lot of my ideas about an inclusive learning environment were validated as I saw shy, withdrawn students speaking up in class, contributing their unique perspectives, and making new friendships. I also saw the higher performing students value helping their classmates rather than boasting about their test scores or achievements.
Of course there were a lot of hiccups, setbacks and failures along the way. The students saw when my lessons didn’t work out well and we sometimes struggled to maintain the level of respect and community we set out to. Most importantly though, our class constantly came back to our initial class rules which we had all signed and ratified, and we used them as a platform to start honest discussions in a safe way. We had multiple sharing circles each week, daily check-ins and more serious classroom discussions whenever needed. Students told me when they were unhappy in class or offered suggestions to help everyone work together. It was eye opening for me to see how mature and serious a group of grade 6 students could be when given the opportunity. We talked openly about challenges due to language, culture and personality types, and how we could best work together to make sure no one felt excluded or left out. We all took the time to appreciate the different strengths and abilities in our class and worked hard to cooperate in ways which allowed everyone to succeed.
I finished the year feeling amazingly proud of how generous and thoughtful my students were and how they embodied the best parts of being in a close knit community. Any future classroom I teach in will try to build on these lessons and ideas, and I look forward to giving students a voice and platform for them to develop and grow.
Universal Design for Learning
One of the biggest challenges facing any teacher or school, whether in Canada or abroad, is the ability to teach and assist an increasingly diverse group of learners with a wide range of needs and abilities. From the various places I have taught, English in Korea and Japan, public schools in Ottawa, Canada, and the latest international school in Malaysia, I found that I was dealing with very similar groups of students. Some very high performing who needed to be challenged and encouraged to continue beyond the grade expectations, new English language learners of varying levels, students from diverse cultures and parts of the world, and students with learning disabilities or delays who required modified lessons and expectations to help them grow and succeed. For all these students, I often found that specific differentiations that I made to benefit one type of learner actually helped all the students in the class and also helped me become a better teacher. Researching material in different languages, incorporating different cultural views and opinions into discussions and projects, clarifying instructions and routines, and developing strategies to allow students to get the assistance they required all helped the entire class to succeed.
Designing lessons in the class to be accessible and interesting for everyone is definitely more time consuming and takes a great deal more effort, however it is that attention to detail and nuance which benefits the students the most. Whether it was a math lesson, a science project, or even developing classroom protocols and routines; focusing on an approach which allowed everyone to access the learning goals at their own level and made accommodations for their specific needs helped create a productive group of young learners who enjoyed working hard and were eager to come to school each day.
Project based learning
One of the approaches to curriculum and lesson planning which has helped me the most in my first year of teaching was project based learning. I had an incredible mentor in teachers college who demanded extensive, detailed and engaging cross curricular units which focused on unique culminating tasks (thank you Linda!). By incorporating various strands and subjects, math, science, language, into a unit such as biodiversity and informational writing, students are presented with a wonderful challenge to create something more meaningful to them and also which they can be proud of. Projects such as these, which focused on endangered animals, allowed students to explore using and constructing graphs in mathematics, reading maps and comparing habitats in humanities, while learning about biodiversity and the threats to animals in their local country for science. This was all tied together with our reading selections in language class, as well as lessons on research skills, note taking, summarizing, and creating an online digital presentation.
Projects such as these add thematic importance and continuity to school, which helps students focus and build towards a goal. Just as important, the culminating task, success criteria and my expectations were all discussed together as a group and students had an active voice in determining what their projects should look like. Students were encouraged to develop independence, creativity and to think outside the box, rather than follow cookie cutter instructions and complete generic assignments. I saw a lot of excitement in the class and a lot of passion for their individual projects, which made delivering specific content or lessons much more effective. In the international school community, I believe that teaching students to take ownership of their learning and to tie in their personal interests, location and culture are integral to helping maintain interest and motivation as students progress. Projects which cover the required curriculum, but add passion and integrate various subjects definitely seem like one of the most effective ways to encourage young learners.
Learning Skills and Resiliency
Many international school systems, such as the IB diploma program, function as a framework in which schools use different approved curriculum’s to provide the specific expectations while teaching the core principles, critical thinking skills and habits for students to succeed in University and later in life. This means that often students come from different school systems, American, British and even Canadian, which means some topics or subjects differ. Focusing on the learning skills for each student, especially in the primary and middle school years, helps to develop students who are resilient, creative, inquisitive and resourceful, who can succeed and learn in any school system. More importantly, focusing on responsibility, independence, organization and cooperation means students have strong work habits and develop as learners with an intrinsic growth mindset. From what I have observed in some international schools, the students with these qualities fare better and are more resilient than those from systems which focused on test scores and rote learning.
Focusing on the learning skills and development of students as learners helps keep my teaching habits and methodology in check. As I plan assessments for and as learning, I am conscious that lessons and activities should be developing habits such as organization or independence, rather than simply focusing on specific curriculum expectations or the production of a desired answer. I have to vary projects and initiatives to cover different learning styles, group dynamics and create distinct units which will help the students overcome challenges. The process of learning becomes a conscious consideration in my planning and I am more responsive to my student’s needs. I found this approach benefited students above and below grade level the most, providing them the tools to succeed and asking them to use them, rather than focusing on creating a desired result. While many parents were understandably focused on grades and measurable results (tests and exams) at first, throughout the year I heard a lot of positive feedback that their child was more confident, enjoying learning and was becoming more independent. And of course, their marks and performance on tests also improved. I’m sure these ideas seem obvious to many educators, yet it’s something I keep coming back to, and I’m always incredibly happy to see how beneficial focusing on learning skills and resilience is for a students development.
Community Building
When I think about the ultimate goal of education, I still struggle to pin down exactly what it means to me. I believe though that the essence of it does come back to the idea of community. For me, a community is a group where everyone is safe, can contribute, and is supported and encouraged. In education, and schools in general, that focus is often lost, replaced by a target end goal for the individual student. Of course we want to open as many opportunities for our students as possible, higher education, a thriving career, however those should go hand in hand with learning responsibility, caring for others and being a conscientious member of society. In order to teach that, schools need to embody those values and model them for students. That means students interact with the entire staff and student body, they see themselves as having a voice, and as stakeholders in the school. Classrooms function as a small microcosm, and it is hard not to get lost in your own routine and lessons. But no one should be excluded from the larger group and we have to find ways of being active in the school community.
To bring these ideas into my classroom I focused on several initiatives with my class throughout the year. Every Friday we had reading buddies with a grade 3 class, creating unique learning experiences and mentoring opportunities for both classes. As the oldest grade before ‘high school’, I asked my class to be leaders and models on the playground and during recess; to invite younger students to join them in games and activities, and to act as ambassadors to new students and those who needed help. We helped the cleaning staff, volunteered to organize and run events for younger grades (the grade 6’s ran every station for Sports Day on short notice after the high school teachers decided they didn’t have time, and it was an incredible success!), and petitioned to be included in volunteer opportunities normally reserved for older students. Through their own initiative to learn more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we were the only elementary class to participate in our school’s Rise Against Hunger event, all because our class wanted to contribute and help, and petitioned to be included. We took these ideas further, bringing local issues around the school and in the wider community into our lessons and discussions. Sustainability, equality, agriculture and land use were issues apparent all around us in Malaysia and my students realized firsthand that the issues we learned about in class affected the community around them everyday.
I also made sure that my own personal involvement echoed these ideals and pushed myself out of my own comfort zone to be more involved. I taught a ‘Drama and Games’ extracurricular class for 25 students in grades 1 to 3, an age group I was definitely not used to teaching! While it was extremely challenging and I lost my voice several times, I definitely learned a lot and was rewarded with 25 new smiling faces who loved saying ‘Hi!’ in the halls. During the schools monthly virtues assemblies, I made sure that I was an active participant with my students presentations or skits, showing that we were all part of the class together and I wasn’t above making a fool of myself to help. I also made sure to have the class open 30 minutes before school everyday to offer extra help or review for any students who wanted it.
Summing Up
I believe the role of an educator is to show students what is possible, to guide students towards their goal, and to let them rise to the challenge and find their own way to succeed. After my first full year of teaching my own homeroom class, I realize there are so many moving parts which go into being a good educator. At times I did feel overwhelmed, exhausted and worried I was not meeting the needs of my class. During the summer break I found myself feeling a swell of mixed emotions that I did not expect. I was incredibly nervous to come back to school and worried about how effective I was as a teacher. I can remember that sense of unease, and even more vividly, I remember the exact moment when that feeling disappeared completely. As soon as my students entered the class, their genuine excitement to be back, how happily they greeted me, and their eagerness to get back to our routines erased all those doubts from my mind. I was just as much a part of that class as they were, and we each needed and supported each other. They let me know they valued me, respected me and appreciated what I was doing. That was an incredibly powerful and important moment for me.
I tried a lot of new things this past year with mixed results. Whole new units and projects, new ways to deliver material, classroom management techniques, and trying to balance everything all at the same time. I feel that I’m ready to refine that starting point, to continue building on the lessons I’ve learned, to find new mentors and colleagues to share and learn from, and also find new ways for me to contribute to a school community. The students I was lucky to teach this past year will hold a special meaning for me. They were the ones who really taught me how to be a better teacher, how to be a better listener, and most importantly, that it was okay for me to fail as well, but to dust myself off and try again. I feel extremely lucky that I had the opportunity and class that I did, and I’m excited for the lessons my next class and school will teach me, and what I can offer to them.
Sincerely
Peter Panacci
Philosophy of Education
A Personal Statement on Education and Teaching Abroad
Upon entering the Bachelor of Education program, I had several years experience teaching English overseas and coaching gymnastics. These experiences allowed me to gain a strong grasp of classroom management techniques, develop positive relationships with students and work cooperatively in team environments. My focus was on improving my knowledge of curriculum development, creating engaging lessons and integrating new technologies into the classroom. Through my practicum experiences and university courses, I have found these are best achieved by employing a Universal Design for Learning approach to education, focusing on creating a safe and inclusive classroom and building community in and outside the classroom.
Universal Design for Learning
My practicum experiences at York Street Public School (Grade 8 and 4/5) taught me the reality facing many homeroom teachers today; the challenge of accommodating and reaching students across a vast spectrum of grade levels, socio-economic backgrounds and needs. I soon learned that every lesson and unit had to be planned as a multifaceted approach; capturing student engagement, using differentiated instruction and effective and diverse assessment techniques (for/as/of learning). More importantly, I also recognized that this approach to teaching not only helped my students with exceptionalities, but all the students in my class benefited from UDL designed instruction. Technology and innovation allowed lower performing and gifted students to express themselves in new ways, scaffolding and diverse methods of instruction (visual, verbal, kinesthetic, inquiry based) enriched student understanding and deep learning, and cooperative approaches to activities provided a strength based access point for everyone to contribute and learn. Whether I was teaching a small group of highly motivated gifted students, or students struggling with behavioral issues and self regulation, I was able to focus on the needs of the individual students, connect that to the curriculum being taught, and allow each of them the opportunity and freedom to learn and succeed. The benefits and practical applications of a UDL approach to teaching has been a shift in my own philosophy in education. It has given me the framework to develop and grow as an educator, and in turn, help inspire a growth mindset in my students.
A Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment
The biggest obstacle facing many struggling learners today is not their capacity or willingness to learn, but rather their fear and anxiety in the classroom and towards school. This can stem from social pressure, a negative fixed mindset or even simply the structure and rules of the school. I saw these same issues in my grade 8 class, all the way down to my interactions with grade 1 students. Creating a safe and inclusive learning environment should be the foundation of every teaching philosophy, and I believe that this, more than anything, will advance and enrich the lives of students. Safe and inclusive means that every student feels comfortable expressing themselves and can contribute to the class knowing they will be accepted and encouraged. I achieve this by inviting students to have a voice in the rules and expectations of the class, co-creating the learning environment as a community. Inquiry based learning gives the class a sense of ownership and restorative practices, such as circles, ensure that interpersonal skills, active listening and empathy can be cultured. Safety and inclusion also extends into curriculum and assessment, as each student’s voice and potential needs to be supported with diverse tasks, learning opportunities and equal access to learning and success.
Community Building
Ultimately the goal of education is the fostering and development of positive community while students learn and grow, developing into active members of society. Today, the idea of community extends far beyond the classroom and encompasses many diverse skills. Digital citizenship, advocacy and digital literacy are vital elements of every student’s future. Connecting the learned curriculum in the classroom to real life implications helps develop critical thinking skills, engagement and a vested self interest in a student’s future education. We also have to develop the community within the school, linking students, teachers, support staff, administration, parents and the surrounding neighborhood into a harmonized whole. Extracurricular activities, volunteering and sports are all vital parts of this dynamic relationship. I believe knowledge and social skills are socially constructed, so providing a rich environment to develop in is crucial for the future of our students. As mentioned, I have used circles and restorative practices to build community within the classroom, creating a working example for how empathy, cooperation and conflict can help us in real life. I challenge students to fight stereotypes, advocate for each other, and become active members of their own communities. This again reinforces the safe and inclusive learning environment, while also inviting each and every student to contribute their own particular strengths and interests. I also apply these same principles to working with colleagues and peers.
I hope my passion and enthusiasm for teaching have become apparent as I developed my personal philosophy on education. My own experiences have given me a diverse skill set which I believe compliments my approach to teaching. I have learned discipline and dedication through competitive gymnastics, and passed my love of the sport onto others through coaching. I grew up in a creative household, the son of two ceramic artists, and pursued my own career as a potter. This fueled my belief that every child possesses an intense creative spark, and that creativity needs to have its own place and expression in academics and the classroom. Finally, teaching abroad in Korea and Japan, and traveling, have opened my eyes to incredibly diverse cultures and taught me to be resilient, ambitious and open-minded. I have helped broaden my students perspective on the world, while being grateful for the lessons and insights they have given me. I encourage all students to experience new cultures and welcome new experiences, while teaching them the life skills and personal skills to reach their own goals.
Now as I look to further my journey in education and continue my own personal growth, I am excited to find a school and community which fosters and believes in the same ideals I have stated here. I am committed to help create a vibrant, dynamic and challenging learning environment for students that supports their individual needs, teaches resiliency and empathy, and provides them with the tools to succeed in their chosen paths. Thank you for your time, I hope you have enjoyed this snapshot into my thoughts on education.