TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

This is the question that guides my teaching philosophy. I am a lifelong learner always looking for new ways to ignite a sense of curiosity in the minds of my students. I strive to  elevate equity and inclusivity in my classroom by creating a community space where students have the opportunity to build stronger connections with their peers. Additionally, they will gain the understanding that different experiences can  shape their unique identities and perspectives. In my classroom we start and end the week with a community meeting, during which time, students engage in an activity to connect with their peers. Each student is given a chance to share their thoughts with the class. This activity could be as simple as sharing a high and low point from their week. Or the activity can be as involved as a four corners/agree or disagree activity that gets students up and moving. 

 

I believe that it is essential to spark students' curiosity to explore the world beyond the classroom, and to help them hone the skills they will need in college and beyond. Our world has become smaller and more interconnected than at any point in our collective history. Students have the vast wealth of human knowledge at their disposal; literally at their fingertips. Amazing as that may sound, many students will need guidance to safely navigate the expansive sea of information that lays before them. I believe that my role as a teacher is best described as an Expedition Guide, ready and equipped to help ignite my students' curiosity and help them understand that history is an investigative discipline that goes far beyond the classroom. I want them to  become inquisitive Explorers driven by their curiosity to seek out and consider diverse perspectives, and not afraid to ask questions and judge the quality of the evidence they interact with. 

 

One of the ways that I put these ideals into practice in my classroom is through a series of units called “Getting a Sense for History.” I believe that students need to learn early on in their journeys that history is so much more than what is written in textbooks. They must explore history using all of their senses (well minus smell), so I have designed four projects that do exactly that; Taste of History, Sights/Sites of History, Sound of History, and Touch of History. These projects also serve to build a greater sense of community within the classroom, as they provide opportunities for students to incorporate and share parts of their personal history with their peers. Additionally, each week during community meetings, students will share the work they have done on their project. During Taste of History students are encouraged to bring in a sample of the food/dish they studied, and share what they learned about the history and flavors with their classmates.  

 

As a history teacher I believe it is my responsibility to challenge “the way things have always been done.” History is a vibrant collection of parallel stories, not one singular story written by the victors. I feel the burden of the history I will have to teach. I feel the weight of the responsibility that I hold to ensure that my students ignite their curiosity and will strive to become explorative and inquisitive learners. I will have the responsibility to tell the whole story of history, not just the one-sided stories left behind by the victors. Additionally, I will shine light on the parallels that accompany the “traditional” narrative. Throughout the year, students will engage with a variety of historical sources and first hand accounts from people of  multiple backgrounds. For example, I do a “Queer History Spotlight” with each of the units that we cover to highlight some of the people history has failed to celebrate. When studying about the Civil War, students will learn about the key figures and events, but they will also learn about the many Trans individuals who fought in the war. Additionally, when learning about the Harlem Renaissance, students will explore the many contributions of Black artists, writers, and intellectuals, and they will also learn about many of the queer people of color who were also influential to this movement. I will actively create opportunities to include as many diverse perspectives and voices as possible in my classroom. 

 

My philosophy will be one that is flexible yet  provides students with the stability and support they need to learn, and to tackle the emotionally heavy issues that we discuss while engaging with history. I am by no means an expert or an authority on all things, if any.  However, as my students' Expedition Guide, it is my responsibility to help them begin developing their own skill sets. Specifically, their ability to apply the knowledge they possess in creative ways, as well as give them chances to interact with and understand multiple perspectives. If I do not have vast knowledge on one of those perspectives, I will serve as the medium; here to expose students to the intellectuals and scholars who are experts on the topics we will cover. This will include people who have experienced the events first hand, and who have dedicated themselves to gaining a deeper understanding of their specific field. By ensuring that my students have interacted with a plethora of perspectives and a diverse pool of source types and information, I hope to send them off into the world better prepared to explore and learn.