Catherine Shea

Professor Suk
EDUC 230-01 Education Field Experience
Spring 2018
Rationale Statement

3. Standard Three: Learning Environments The teacher works with others to create environments
that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction,
active engagement in learning, and self motivation

Artifact: Observation Report - Personal Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

Date of Completion: April 2018

Course Completed in: EDUC-230-02 Education Field Experience

Rationale Statement:
In my Personal Philosophy of Teaching and Learning, I demonstrate my own experiences
and thoughts on education and teaching. I explain how I strive to be an advocate for my students
needs. I thoroughly explain my hopes to relate to them, expose them to the joys of literature, and
to create a positive and accepting environment. I describe how I will create this environment of
creativity and exploration by making “myself be a present and dependent fixture in their school
environment. My classroom will have constant dialogue and be a place of self expression
through conversation, art, and written word. I want parents, fellow instructors, or my superiors to
be able to enter my classroom and see students collaborating, questioning, researching, and
learning through shared experiences and inquisitive thinking.” This directly relates to standard
three which states “The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual
and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self motivation” (New Jersey Department of Education, 2014, p.4). I have
demonstrated that I will use discussions to create a positive social interaction while engaging the
students through questioning, discussion, and by taking control of their education which will
motivate them to do their very best.

Writing this personal philosophy forced me to reflect on how my own experience in

schooling, and realize how that has affected my outlook on the type of teacher I want to become.
I realized through writing this philosophy that I aim to be more than a teacher, but also a
counselor and advocate for my future students. Being a teacher is similar to being a parent where
you have to become many different things at once, and be receptive to both the obvious and
hidden needs of others. I learned this when I thought about all of the wonderful teachers I have
had throughout my lifetime, and realized they were all so much more than a ‘teacher’. They were
friends, confidants, motivators, coaches, lifelines, sources of inspiration, challengers, and most
importantly, supporters. I learned through my reflections that in order to become these things to
my students I need to genuinely care and put in effort to prove to them that I do.

I plan to periodically re-read this throughout my career as a way of reminding myself the
passion and spark that I have for this profession. I hope that on the rough days of my career
where I feel as if I am not making a difference, or that I am not feeling as motivated as I should, I
can pull up this personal philosophy and remind myself why I wanted to become a teacher.

Reference

New Jersey Department of Education. (2014). ​New Jersey professional standards for teachers
alignment with InTASC​. Retrieved from
http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/profstand/ProfStandardsforTeachersAlignment
withInTASC.pdf