My Teaching Philosophy

Teaching is a great profession. My mission to become teacher started during my school days. I had good experience with different teachers both locally and internationally. As a student and a teacher I had enough experience in the field of education. My teaching philosophy evolved from many years through experience as a student and as a teacher. Teaching is my ambition.

Most of the time students find that the subjects are bored. The reason was that new subjects with new theories and new concepts would be difficult to understand by the students. But when the time passed with the subject student felt easy and there would be more attraction and attentiveness towards the subject. Where I explained the concepts and theories taking example in real life situation relating to the subject matter. Also students were asked to share their experiences on the same matter. This provides opportunity for the students to invade the subject. After peer discussion encouraged to have more depth analysis of the subject. Thus it will have positive reflect of the students towards the subject.

I believed teaching should be student centered and teacher should play a facilitating role. The teacher should have enough conceptual and practical skills in order to deliver the lesson more effectively and efficiently to the classroom. The teacher should understand the background of the students and plan the lesson to cater all the students effectively.

I believed that a positive atmosphere is essential in student centered teaching. A positive atmosphere should be provided by the teacher. Where students are encouraged to discuss questions and learn through mistakes. However mistakes are to be taken as opportunities to explore students’ misconceptions and to bring solutions for it.

The cognitive functioning of the students is essential to implement and apply concepts and theories that are appropriate for the lesson. I believed that proper plan of assessment base on the individual students cognitive ability will be a positive advantage for the students to acquire maximum from the lesson. There are many activates that can be used: such as brief writings, which helps me to determine the thinking ability of my students and to modify my instructions accordingly. If I am failed to address their cognitive function, there will be high chance that my students experiencing ‘miss’ learning.

Application of learning theories in the classroom is a great opportunity for the teachers to identify learning behavior of the different students. Based on the findings I can modify the activities in a way it cater the needs of all the students. Through experience if a teacher is able to apply behavioural appropriately it will be great opportunity for him. It can benefit classroom learning and classroom management at all the levels. Meanwhile cognitive learning principles work with behavioural theory to bring maximum intellectual level of the students. Some of the activities I offered in the classroom are: think-pair-share, classroom jigsaw activities, constructive controversies and interactive lectures.

I strongly believed that good assessment techniques is one of the essential component of an effective teacher. To get clear picture about students’ knowledge on the subject we do asses the students in different ways. I use alternative types of assessment to asses my students; such as rubrics, checklists, portfolios, presentations, and written exams.

Following the above discussed principles helped me to expand in my love of teaching and learning. Also I believed that by sharing my philosophy and passion for teaching and learning, and using the above principles I can deliver my teaching material to the students more effectively and efficiently. I believed that accepting responsibility of teaching and students accepting responsibility of learning does not make sense. Because it seems to be more teacher centered. In modern systems student centered teaching and learning is encouraged and practiced. So I develop a sense of community (empowering the students to initiate with learning) and as the members of the community students are responsible not only to themselves, but to the other members of the community even including me (the teacher). Thus it will result peer learning, passion, empathy, and sincere enthusiasm. This will have positive impacts on the learners’ ultimately connecting to them to their passion and lifelong learning.

2) Carl Roger's Humanistic Personality Theory

Roger's humanistic personality theory emphasize the importance of self-actualizing tendency in forming a self-concept.
Roger also believed that human react with continuous changing process for a person to develop self-concept through continuous feedback from the environment. However, development of self concept, positive regard is the key factor. Human being also develop ideal self and a real self based on the conditional status of positive regard. The difference between the ideal self and real self is called "congruity". Meanwhile fully functioning people can achieve "the good life" in which they constantly aim to fulfill their potential and allow their personalities to emanate from their experiences.

Self-Actualization

Rogers rejected the deterministic nature of both psychoanalysis and behaviorism and maintained that we behave as we do because of the way we perceive our situation.

"As no one else can know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves."

Self-actualization occurs when a person’s “ideal self” (i.e. who they would like to be) is congruent with their actual behavior (self-image).  Rogers describes an individual who is actualizing as a fully functioning person. The main determinant of whether we will become self-actualized is childhood experience.

 

The Good Life

Rogers described life in terms of principles rather than stages of development. These principles existed in fluid processes rather than static states. He claimed that a fully functioning person would continually aim to fulfill his/her potential at each of these processes, achieving what he called the good life. These people would allow personality and self-concept to emanate from experience. He found that fully functioning individuals had several traits or tendencies in common:

1.    Growing openness to experiences and a lack of defensiveness toward anything new.

2.    Increasingly existential lifestyle in which each moment is appreciated and lived to its fullest.

3.    Preponderance for organismic trust of their own judgments and choices.

4.    Greater freedom of choice and a lack of personal restrictions or rules.

5.    Higher levels of creativity and adaptability without necessarily conforming.

6.    Extreme reliability and constructiveness in their dealings with others.

7.    Tendency toward rich, full lives with exciting and intense experiences.

The humanistic approach states that the self is composed of concepts unique to individual self.
The self-concept includes three components
1) Self worth
2) Self-image
3) Ideal self

Conclusion

Roger supports Maslow's need theory. He agreed that to become self actualization stage an individual has to cross all the other needs.

Roger believed that Self-actualization occurs when a person’s “ideal self” (i.e. who they would like to be) is congruent with their actual behavior (self-image).  Rogers describes an individual who is actualizing as a fully functioning person. The main determinant of whether we will become self-actualized is childhood experience.

Therefore the person to become a fully functioning person he need have ideal self congruent with his self image.

References

https://www.boundless.com/psychology/personality/the-humanistic-perspective/rogers-theory/

Theories of Motivation

What is motivation? 
It is the forces within the individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expected at work. 

Terminology used in the motivation
1) Reward - a work outcome of positive value to the individual - it might to be tangible or intangible rewards.
2) Extrinsic Rewards - valued outcomes given to someone by another person.
3) Intrinsic Reward - valued outcomes that occur naturally as a person works on a task.


Theories of Motivation

1) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

This theory basically talks about the human factor and their needs. A person to become in a state where he reaches his self-actualization he need to fulfill is basic and other needs.

There are 5 level of need addressed in this theory;

1) Physiological Needs (such as Food, shelter, clothing etc.)

2) Safety Needs (Physical safety and security)

3) Social Needs (Social interaction with others, Relationships, group memberships etc)

4) Self Esteem (Self confidence of a person, recognition and approval of the person)

5) Self-actualization (Self fulfillment, social growth, pride, accomplishment etc)

Comparison of Need theory to Home and the Job

Need	Home	Job
self-actualization	education, religion, hobbies, personal growth	training, advancement, growth, creativity
esteem	approval of family, friends, community	recognition, high status, responsibilities
belongingness	family, friends, clubs	teams, depts, coworkers, clients, supervisors, subordinates
safety	freedom from war, poison, violence	work safety, job security, health insurance
physiological	food water sex	Heat, air, base salary

Cultural critique: Does Maslow's classification really reflect the order in which needs are satisfied, or is it more about classifying needs from a kind of "tastefulness" perspective, with lofty goals like personal growth and creativity at the top, and "base" instincts like sex and hunger at the bottom? And is self-actualization actually a fundamental need? Or just something that can be done if you have the leisure time?

Conclusion

This theory emphasize that an individual to get self-actualization he need to have all the basic needs and other related needs to be fulfilled. 

For example; if a person do not have shelter how can he get the safety and security needs? All these are linked each other. the first is to get basic needs; such as food, water, shelter, clothing etc. After that he needs good health for stability and employment and even to have a healthy family. 

In student context if we are not able to provide good environment for the students to learn, how can they gain knowledge from what we deliver to them. Because the environment act as a barrier for them to get maximum out of the lesson. Such environment will be not safe for the student to learn. 

There for it is the responsibility of us build a friendly learning culture within the classroom environment which allow each and every students to learn maximum in the class.

References

http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/motivation.htm

5) - Social Cognitive Theory

Social cognitive theory defines learning as an internal mental process that may or may not be reflected in immediate behavioral change (Bandura, 1986).

In this theory;

• People learn by observing others.
• Learning is internal
• Learning is Goal-directed behaviour.

 People emphasize on learning by

         - Observing

         - Modeling

         - Experience - reinforcement (learn experience from others)

Note! This theory identifies human behaviour as an interaction of personal factors, behaviourism and environment.

Modelling - Modeling is a general term that refers to behavioral, cognitive, and affective changes deriving from observing one or more models. There are 3 types of modelling: - (1) Direct modelling, (2) Symbolic modelling, and (3) Synthesized modelling.

Reciprocal Causation/Determination

Learning involves the interaction of several factors, such as behavior, environment, storing information in memory and personal factors (i.e., beliefs & expectations: e.g., relevant to ability).  Such interactive effects are considered "mutually influencing" -- usually referred to as reciprocal causation / determination. For Bandura, it is through the observations of models that an individual's perceptions and actions influence their cognitive development.

Example.: You get a low score on an algebra test (environmental factor) which influences your belief (personal factor) about your ability to do algebra. Your belief, in turn, influences your behavior -- in this case, it's your study habits -- and your behavior influences the environment -- in this case, you got a tutor to help you study

Please! feel free to press the below link to get more about this theory

Social Cognitive Theory of Learning

Bandura - Bobo Doll Study

Bandura (1961) conducted a study to investigate if social behaviors (i.e. aggression) can be acquired by imitation.
24 Children watched an adult model behave aggressively towards a blow up toy called a bobo doll. Another 24 children were exposed to a non-aggressive model and the final 24 child were used as a control group and not exposed to any model at all

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Bandura's Social Learning Theory

Application in Learning and Teaching

General educational implications of cognitive theories: 

1. Cognitive processes influence learning.

2. Learning difficulties often indicate ineffective or inappropriate cognitive processes, especially for children with learning disabilities, who tend to process information less effectively. Therefore, teachers need to be aware that all students are trying to learn something, as well as what they are trying to learn.

3. As children grow, they become capable of increasingly more sophisticated thought.

4. People organize the things they learn. Therefore, teachers can facilitate students' learning by presenting information in an organized manner. This organization should reflect students' previous knowledge and show how one thing relates to the other (i.e., helping students understand and make connections).

5. New information is most easily acquired when people can associate it with things they have already learned. Teachers should then show how new ideas relate to previous learning.

6. People control their own learning. Ultimately students, not their teachers, determine what things will be learned and how they will be learned.

Conclusion

This theory emphasizes that students  learning involve interaction factors. It might be the environment or behaviour or even personal factors etc. These interaction factors influence students to behave in a certain way. Learning emphasize on observing, modeling and experience by others. The students learn though observation of models that an individuals perceptions and actions influence their cognitive development. This is known to be "reciprocal determination".

Therefore as we educators should identify the students learning behaviour and try to modify our lesson according to it. It will help students gain maximum out of the lesson we deliver them in the classroom environment.

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The Cognitive Theory

4) . Vygotsky's Developmental Theory 

Vygotsky is credited with developing the concept of Social Cognition (aka Social Development Theory of Learning), which proposes that:

1) Social Interaction and culture has a dramatic impact on cognitive development.

2) Cognitive processes (language, thought, reasoning) develop through social interaction.

3) Learning is largely mediated by social interaction of students and "More Knowledgeable Others" (e.g. teachers, parents, coaches, peers, experts, etc.) 

Social Dislocation

Vygotsky believed that “education leads development, which is the result of social learning through the internalization of culture and social relationships.” Gindis 335

“What children can do with the assistance of others might be in some sense even more indicative of their mental development than what they can do alone.” Vygotsky 1978

“A disability is a kind of social dislocation brought about by a relationship of the child to his environment. Although the disability itself is a biological fact, the educator is confronted not so much by biological facts as by their social consequences.”  Vygotsky 1995

Inclusion based on positive differentiation”   Vygotsky 1995

“Only a truly differentiated learning environment can fully develop the higher psychological functions and overall personality of a child with a disability”  (Gindis 1999)

Zone of Proximal development

Vygotsky centred much of his research on a phenomenon he coined as "the Zone of Proximal Development," or ZPD

Vygotsky stated:

"The zone of proximal development defines those functions that have not yet matured, but are in the process (of doing so)…"

“…what is the zone of proximal development today will be the actual development level tomorrow – that is, what a child can do with assistance toady she will be able to do by herself tomorrow"

1) What a student can do alone versus what he/she can do with guidance

2) Students reach their limits sooner when performing independently

3) Students’ achievement is elevated when supported by teachers & more able peers

Scaffolding

Wood, Bruner, and Ross (1976) developed Vygotsky’s notion of a ZPD.

They introduced the concept of scaffolding, which refers to the context provided by knowledgeable people such as adults to help children to develop their cognitive skills

An important aspect of scaffolding is that there is a gradual withdrawal of support as the child’s knowledge and confidence increase.

Example of Scaffolding

Left to his own devices, could this boy make his sister a birthday cake?

His mother uses scaffolding to create a situation in which he can begin to move into a zone of proximal development.

Central Ideas and Contribution to Learning theory:

1. Vygotsky emphasis on language development and its effect on learning. He believed its not the maturity element that improves one’s cognitive but the social interaction for conceptual understandings.

2.  Complex mental processes began as social activities. Vygotskycalled this process of social activities being internalized as mental activities "internalization."

3.  Children can often accomplish more difficult tasks when they have the assistance of other people more advanced and competent than themselves.

4. Tasks within the zone of proximal development promote maximum cognitive growth. This is the zone of learning for a child where he can learn something with the assistance of others.

5. The idea of scaffoldinglearning comes from Vygotsky'szone of proximal development theory.

Scaffolding refers to learning situations in which adults and other more competent individuals provide some form of guidance or structure that enables students to engage in learning activities within their zone of proximal development.

6 He believed that it is co-operation that act as a basis of learning.

Conclusion

This theory suggest that to learn something there is need for another person. To learn the subject matter the student need support from their colleagues. This theory identifies that the students need help when they cannot do things by themselves. To move from this stage the student need either help from the fellow students or the teacher. This stage is known to be ZPD. In this stage Scaffolding is encouraged where the students learn by repeating the activity by themselves. They need guidance from the teacher or the fellow students to complete the activity or the task.

It is important as teachers, we should identifies these types of students (students in ZPD) and guide them to complete their work well.

References

Gindis, B. (1999b). Vygotsky’s vision: Reshaping the   practice of special education for the 21st century.   Remedial and Special Education, 20, 333-340.

media.wix.com/.../24c9c7_a4cf8171374075f7b5782afe780249f5.ppt

www.simplypsychology.org/Vygotsky.ppt

www.idemployee.id.tue.nl/g.w.m.rauterberg/.../sociocultural_theory.ppt