Philosophy+of+Teaching+English

** Philosophy of Teaching English **
I cannot begin to define by values and beliefs as an educator without first mentioning an inspirational teacher who showed me the love and light of education. My 9th and 11th grade English teacher had the ability to not only shape my educational endeavors, but also my charismatic involvement in the community and society abroad. His hard work has helped to shape the individual I am today. Being the first child to attend college in a large line of blue-collared workers gave me the opportunity to ponder the purpose and usefulness of education overall. It also gives me an advantage when describing the importance of education to my students. I was often talked out of furthering my education as a child as I was expected to follow the hard-earned footsteps of my father. However, my inspirational teacher instilled the importance of education as not only a means to be more successful in life, but to also help others find and develop their purpose.

I quickly understood that one must value and believe that education is not only a tool, but a way of life. It can be used to obtain opportunities and dreams that once seemed insurmountable; it can help one to understand and live by the basic principles of love, life, and happiness. With a focus in the field of Special Education (SPED) English, I have learned to value education through generalization. That is, being able to transfer one’s knowledge to other skills and concepts in life. This is my sole purpose as an educator. I value the traditional knowledge of English and being able to adapt it for future success. I believe that from kindergarten to 12th grade, we are taught a smorgasbord of facts and skills that often feel useless because they don’t demonstrate the interconnectedness of education. The skills we learn in English are woven into our ability to verbally present ourselves as an educated professional. However, we often don’t understand that these skills can be used across a wide range of life experiences. For example, I recollected facts from a novel we read in English when I pulled a kid from the ocean who was trapped in a rip tide. At one point in time, I remember learning about rip tides from this novel; I also remember trying to forget the facts just as quickly because //I thought// I would never need them. If we find a way to teach students how useful knowledge and education can be, we can not only succeed in passing required assessments but also in shaping a future community that is well educated-taking knowledgeable information and caring intentions in the world around us. I believe that education needs to be authentic. It should reflect students’ surroundings and their life after high school. As difficult as it may seem for that reason, I believe that education needs to be individualized. Rose, Meyer, and Hitchcock’s (2005) principles of Universal Design are essential to SPED teachers because we are taught that accommodations and modifications to the classroom and curriculum can be used to better educate all students, regardless of their class, race, religion, and disability. By individualizing education, we find students’ interests and incorporate them into the lessons we plan and deliver. These skills can easily be carried from a SPED classroom to an English classroom. I believe that every student can learn. With the appropriate strategies and techniques, we can inspire any child to accept their education with open arms. We all learn differently and will value some skills over others. Therefore, as a future teacher I value education as a means to further ones’ role in society and I believe that we can highlight our students’ strengthens and strengthen our students’ weaknesses.

Teaching English to students in a Special Education class will need to be accommodated or adapted based on the instructional level required for each child and their disability. My pedagogy will contain various instructional methods and philosophies to reach an individualized group of students. Throughout my education, I’ve had the ability to read educational research on the instructional strategies and theories summarized below. My education and work experience has assisted me in finding several instructional strategies and methods, some of which are highlighted below. Although classroom management deals with other aspects of education, I think it can be considered as an important instructional strategy because it’s needed to gain the attention, focus, and order of the class. The most successful implementation is through the use of a school-wide program. Due to the scarcity of such programs, I will most certainly develop a behavioral reinforcement program, similar to Hardin’s (2004), that uses a point chart system where all students can participate. Based on students’ involvement, social skills, behavior, etc. throughout the English class, I will end the period by assigning students points that express problematic areas and mastered concepts. These points can be redeemed for various rewards such as free reading time, a special lunch with the teacher, and other rewards of interest to the individual student. Students also work toward class rewards based on cooperation. This instructional strategy will work toward maintaining order for a positive and trusting work environment. Students cannot be successful if they feel distracted or unsafe in their classroom. During instructional time, I’ll utilize the knowledge of differentiated instruction and Gardner’s multiple intelligences approach. Understanding students’ strengths and weaknesses is necessary to educate them accordingly. Having the knowledge at hand, I can differentiate instruction on students’ abilities, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Text readability will be taken into consideration for my students; I’ll find motivational articles and texts for them to appropriately choose from. I will use these principles along with those provided from Howard Gardner (bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, mathematical, naturalistic, visual-spatial, and musical) (Smith 2007). In one way or another, these multiple intelligences will be incorporated into my lessons through modified instructional activities. Therefore, instructional time will be presented through visual, auditory, and/ or kinesthetic activities. Technology will readily be incorporated throughout the lesson with interactive English computer games, slideshows, videos/movies, online communication, and possibly even //Promethean// boards. With English knowledge being adapted and modified, I’ll also have the opportunity to implement various cooperative learning and peer learning activities. Kroeger and Kouche (2006) highlight the importance of working together as a source of creativity because we are more successful in presenting information in ways that we never dreamed possible. My groups will be carefully chosen based on an evaluation of the classroom. I’ll take concern into where each student is currently performing and the best methods to get them where they need to be in the classroom. I don’t want students with more knowledge to tell a struggling learner the answers, I want them to work together and find the best solution. This instructional method leads to the use of reinforcement in the classroom. Reinforcing students with programs such as ABA will be successful in teaching English to struggling learners (Smith 2007). Motivation, consistency, and organization are the keys for success in reinforcing student knowledge and behavior. The classroom management program will assist in this method, but my individual personality will contribute to reinforcement. Drawing from my values and beliefs, every child can learn. Therefore, we need to be effective models for our students, verbally praising their academic and social achievements, while establishing consequences that negatively reinforce inappropriate behaviors or work (Smith 2007). Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world” (2007). This quote goes hand-in-hand with praising students for successful behavior and understanding English, as well as teaching appropriate social skills for the community. The last instructional method that I will implement in my pedagogy is the use of parental communication and involvement. I can easily do my job without interactions from the parents/ guardians of my students. However, their knowledge can bring more student success and involvement in the classroom, especially with students under an IEP. I will most certainly use my education in technology to develop a class website that lists homework assignments for my students. I will also administer daily progress notes that simply outline students’ performance and behavior. Just as positive reinforcement can be used in the classroom; it will also be used to praise students’ work to their parents. They have just as much right to know about their childs’ daily progress as the teachers. Communicating with parents/ guardians could be the missing link to interconnectedness of education in our students’ lives.

There are also several theories of learning and skills for motivating students that will be used throughout my pedagogy and decision-making in the classroom. These theories have widely been used in education for several years, proving to be essential components to a classroom. Bronfenbrenners’ Ecological theory and family systems theory is an essential theory that defines students’ interactions in their environments (Paris 2008). My students who have disabilities will need the assistance in the environment to form successful social communication. This will also enhance their abilities in the English class when incorporating new vocabulary into daily social skills. The family systems theory highlights family interactions as aforementioned in my instructional methods, an approach that requires communication with parents. I cannot apply the Ecological theory without also implementing Bandura’s Sociological theory which involves student observation of social development (Paris 2008). Developing effective communication skills is often at the heart of SPED and English in the secondary classroom. Students’ environments at home and school will be a constant factor to their success in their academic and social development.

The Constructionist theory in the classroom will also build from the Ecological and Social theory by creating hands-on experimental learning in the classroom environment. This theory, implemented by Piaget, highlights the use of these activities while the teacher is a facilitator in the classroom (Paris 2008). I want my students to be independent for their education by discovering themselves through expressive language and literature. I’ll have the opportunity to observe and reinforce their cooperative activities outside of direct instruction. The last two theories I will incorporate into my pedagogy will be the Cognitive and Behavioral theory. Both of which will be helpful in understanding students’ logic in the SPED English classroom. The cognitive approach developed by Piaget, Wundt, Gestalt, Wertheimer, Kohler, and Koffka (2008) will help me successfully teach metacognition skills to my students, also a great component for self-advocacy and self-determination in SPED. Differentiating instruction to their stage of development and teaching students to generalize the information through motivational activities and inquiry-based learning will further develop their cognitive abilities-a necessity in English education. In the interconnectedness of education, this will assist students in understanding their behaviors through the Behavioral theory. Included with the development of an IEP, there may also be a FBA or BIP to implement with instruction. Using the Cognitive approach of metacognition, I can teach students to think about their behavior in the classroom which will generalize good decisions in the community. In order to be both a SPED and English teacher, I must draw from the theories which will help reach the vast amount of differences in my classroom.

My education of core content knowledge in SPED and English throughout my studies in school has helped me to develop a perspective as a student and as the teacher in the classroom. I have a great understanding and an impressive repertoire of literature that students will be able to learn from in my classroom. Over the years I’ve collected essential short stories, young adult novels, videos, books, poems, cartoons, articles, photos, and various other media resources that not only teach English but also aspects of the hidden curriculum. These materials will assist students in having a better understanding of English components as well as their commitment to society. I also have a variety of my own personal work which students might like to read. They’ll learn more about me as an individual and see that I’m not perfect when it comes to writing. Having a passion for reading and writing, I’ve learned many English approaches and techniques my students would find motivating. For example, literature circles would be an asset to my SPED classroom because it develops social skills and also thoughts and ideas of the literature being discussed. This knowledge goes hand in hand with my SPED content area. These strategies are the foundation of Universal Design because they can be used for the benefit of all students. Best of all, these activities help students to think in different ways from the traditional English methods. In SPED, I’ve learned a variety of accommodations and modifications to assist students in reading, writing, and thinking about English. We’ve been educated about several informal and formal assessments that can be used to determine students’ present levels of academic and behavioral performance. This content knowledge in both content areas will assist me in driving my education toward my students’ interests in motivating and involved activities.

To develop proper cultural awareness in my classroom, I will develop an educational cultural awareness week where students will have the opportunity to discuss their culture in the classroom. This program is designed to educate all students and also myself-I’ll need just as much knowledge on culture so I can effectively communicate and implement instructional strategies. As a facilitator, I will oversee their presentation of the material and I’ll instruct students on improper stereotypes and phrases. In a SPED classroom, I’m bound to have students who are from a variety of locations with languages other than English, especially those students who use ASL. To reduce language barriers in the classroom, it will be helpful for the entire class to learn about culture and the personal interests of their classmates. Adaptation will be a key in the development of course materials. Instructions will need to be adapted through visuals (tactile sheets/ outlines) and auditory techniques (recording). At times, a translator may even be needed for expressive and receptive language. The text readability of classroom material will need to be taken into account as well. Students may need differentiated stories or books to fit their readability levels; however they need to be carefully chosen so that students can equally discuss the literature topic while still enjoying the text. The cultural awareness program will help me to find methods that are best for all students of all regions. Therefore, my instructional practices and interactions with these students cannot be limited based on a language or cultural barrier. All students deserve the same education and my SPED training in Universal Design in the classroom through technology will help everyone to meet their potential. If I have a student who is deaf, it may take every student in the class to learn how to sign “yes” and “no” for basic questions and answers for communication. All of which will be incorporated in our cultural awareness program to increase my communication with the student as well as the entire classes’ involvement.

I will not allow social injustice and inequality in my classroom. I’ll strive to break all misconceptions about various cultures. Disability or not, all my students will be viewed as equals. Unfortunately, history has repeated itself through the cruel actions of social injustice and inequality. The aforementioned aspects of the hidden curriculum will help to reduce these injustices. Part of my job as a SPED teacher is to teach the fundamentals and components of English. The other part of my job is to educate students about life skills and community involvement. In this hidden curriculum, I’ll instill core values and beliefs to my students that are based on respect, trust, equality, and love. My students will walk away with an education involving how to be a successful, functional, and responsible member of society. These students will learn how to do their part, as well as how and when to advocate for themselves or others in times of injustice. Education is only useful if you have an outlet to use it with. Therefore, my students will have a deep understanding about the history of inequality in society, community values, and community involvement and improvement. All of which, will go hand in hand with English by selecting appropriate literature on injustice for students to study.

Through the implementation of my aforementioned values and beliefs, pedagogy, content knowledge, and cultural diversity and social injustice, I will implement successful strategies and approaches that will assist all learners equally in having a deeper understanding of English and the community. My unit plan is carefully planned with a variety of lessons with activities that reflect my philosophy in teaching both English and Special Education. To begin describing my philosophy of English and its presence in this unit plan, I’ve always stressed the importance of using young adult literature that is current with student’s interests and lifestyles. Young adult literature serves as a great source of comprehension for more challenging canonical texts. In this unit plan, I’ve utilized this philosophy by assigning several chapters from //The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian// by Sherman Alexie in conjunction with //The Scarlet Letter// by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Students will use both books to analyze important English skills, literature terms, and discussion techniques. To tie into the decision of choosing these books, I’ve also outlined my desire to make English education both interesting and motivational. In order to keep the curriculum interesting for all learners, I need to incorporate enthusiasm into my teaching. To do this, I will provide a great deal of activities that are creative and open to students’ thoughts, ideas, and expressions. Throughout my unit plan, I’ve incorporated activities such as the discrimination poster and culture research project. These activities help students to think in a variety of ways that are different than the traditional styles of teaching English.
 * Connections to Unit Plan:**

One of the best ways to do build upon this philosophy is to include activities that are not only interesting and motivational, but also authentic. All students want to see that their education has a purpose. The best way to do this is to create lessons that pertain to students’ individual lives. Throughout this unit plan, I’ve stressed the importance of promoting cultural diversity and tolerance. Students are given several opportunities to ponder about their experiences with discrimination and social injustice. Generalizing this information into students’ experiences and communities helps them to better connect with the education, giving them authentic ways to incorporate the knowledge into their everyday lives. The one year plan is a great example of authenticity because I give students the opportunity to develop their own individual plan for preventing discrimination in their surroundings.

Throughout the unit, I’ll need to incorporate a great deal of accommodations and modifications into my curriculum, especially for students with disabilities. To do this I’ve incorporated a plethora of activities that are great for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. I’ve also kept the multiple intelligences in mind with activities that give students the opportunity to find or write songs that reflect their researched culture. Several activities give students the opportunity to draw or illustrate characters and settings with textual evidence. These activities give students who have difficulties verbally expressing their ideas, giving them multiple means of expression. These multiple means of expression are defined under the principles of Universal Design for Learning. This principle is well known for leveling the playing field for all learners. This same philosophy is surrounded by the theme of my unit.

Therefore, my unit plan reflects my philosophy of teaching by incorporating a plethora of activities that are motivational, engaging, culturally relevant, and authentic for the diversity of ALL learners in my classroom. I’ll strive to embody this philosophy and the unit plan I‘ve created throughout my educational endeavors as a Special Education English teacher. My units and lessons will be filled with culturally relevant activities to authenticate the English curriculum into my students’ everyday lives. Most importantly, I’ll educate my students effectively to become thoughtfully educated and committed citizens who combat social injustice and discrimination in their community and society abroad.