and taxes for the materials. Occasionally, they also pay fines for classroom infractions, such as disrupting instruction, failing to come prepared for class, or inappropriate language. Each student maintains his/her account, and an auction is held at the end of each quarter where students may bid on items with any discretionary income. By providing students with financial experiences, I am helping them prepare for the future. Future success is also dependent on the ability to communicate effectively, so my fourth philosophy promotes this ability. An outsider peeking in my classroom might be a bit surprised. They do not see desks in straight rows with students working robotically in textbooks. Instead they see students sitting in groups at tables, so that each day, when I ask my students to explain, evaluate, and consider other ideas that may be different from their own, they can do so effectively. Group members also learn from each other, especially when I encourage them to share answers and those answers don’t match. They argue and work to convince others of their thinking. By doing this, students are preparing not just for high school, but for life. My final philosophy of teaching is to engage students in meaningful tasks. My creativity and passion for my work help me seek out and design lessons and activities that will capture student interest while assisting them in learning new concepts. For example, I don’t teach my students to calculate square footage and perimeter of miscellaneous figures. Instead, I provide them the skills needed to design the apartment, where they are responsible for determining the “ultimate” appropriate measurements and related budgets. Students dive into their designs, selecting from tile and carpet samples and calculating related costs. It is in these types of engaging lessons that my avocation and vocation unite as one enabling me to be the best teacher I can be. EDUCATION ISSUES AND TRENDS
and taxes for the materials. Occasionally, they also pay fines for classroom infractions, such as disrupting instruction, failing to come prepared for class, or inappropriate language. Each student maintains his/her account, and an auction is held at the end of each quarter where students may bid on items with any discretionary income. By providing students with financial experiences, I am helping them prepare for the future. Future success is also dependent on the ability to communicate effectively, so my fourth philosophy promotes this ability. An outsider peeking in my classroom might be a bit surprised. They do not see desks in straight rows with students working robotically in textbooks. Instead they see students sitting in groups at tables, so that each day, when I ask my students to explain, evaluate, and consider other ideas that may be different from their own, they can do so effectively. Group members also learn from each other, especially when I encourage them to share answers and those answers don’t match. They argue and work to convince others of their thinking. By doing this, students are preparing not just for high school, but for life. My final philosophy of teaching is to engage students in meaningful tasks. My creativity and passion for my work help me seek out and design lessons and activities that will capture student interest while assisting them in learning new concepts. For example, I don’t teach my students to calculate square footage and perimeter of miscellaneous figures. Instead, I provide them the skills needed to design the “ultimate” apartment, where they are responsible for determining the appropriate measurements and related budgets. Students dive into their designs, selecting from tile and carpet samples and calculating related costs. It is in these types of engaging lessons that my avocation and vocation unite as one enabling me to be the best teacher I can be. EDUCATION ISSUES AND TRENDS