Teaching Philosophy: Grab the Attention of 5th Grade Literacy Students

Hannah Paterakis, Psychology, '19
With the education system put in place throughout our country today, there is not one universal way or method of teaching. Depending on location, district, teaching styles, as well as a plethora of other factors, students are not always exposed to teaching that deviates from state standards. This post is meant to describe my proposed teaching philosophy that I would integrate into my fifth grade classroom.

It is no surprise that teachers have the ability to serve as ultimate building blocks, or foundational elements for an aspiring learner. In order for a student to become fully engrossed in their own learning, Erik Erikson suggests throughout his theory of psychosocial development that various stages are in place in order to prepare an individual for development and change. As they grow older and go through the various stages of psychosocial development on the path to identity achievement, individuals are able to achieve the status of "psychological moratorium" by taking new opportunities and challenging their identities and predestined constructs with regards to society. 

For that reason, I will integrate a variety of ice-breaker activities throughout course material, and gradually cater my teaching to be less hands-on throughout the year, following Vygotsky's scaffolding techniques. It is very important to show students that I am willing to take a back seat in the classroom, and allow them to demonstrate the knowledge that they have learned, but also serve as a guide when they may need assistance. If I am willing to fail in front of my students and learn from my mistakes alongside them, they will likely feel more comfortable to try new things and put themselves out there without hesitation.Their vulnerability in the classroom will allow for the greatest achievements and strides throughout their learning. Creating this sense of mutual understanding and comfortability will generate trust throughout the classroom between both the students and myself.

https://www.empoweringells.com/scaffolding-instruction/

Another strategy that I will utilize throughout my teaching philosophy goes hand in hand with Vygotsky's scaffolding technique, the stage of identity achievement. Termed by James Marcia, his theory of identity achievement states that this final stage serves as a period of the utmost understanding of one's identity and status; once students reach identity achievement, they are able to engage in active exploration and discover their own values and goals. This discovery is integral throughout identity achievement because it demonstrates learning by intrinsic motivation, rather than extrinsic. Reaching identity achievement throughout an project will allow students to take ownership with their work. Not only will this ownership cultivate a level of independence throughout their work, but will also instill confidence alongside their learning.

For the final comprehensive project assigned to my students, I will allow them to select a novel of their choice to write about and study, rather than selecting one book for all of them to read and write about. By giving them a choice and ability to explore among alternatives, they will become more engaged in their work. Once they have this sense of autonomy in selecting the novel that personally interests them, they will likely be more willing to show personal investment, and commitment in their learning. With this in mind, I envision my students gaining a better understanding of a novel, as well as confidence and autonomy through doing so independently.

Because reading levels are destined to vary greatly from student to student, it is inevitable that certain students will have a more difficult time with this independent project. That being said, I will make sure that I provide my students with a reading list from which they can choose, and schedule individual meetings with them periodically so that I can help guide them to an appropriate selection that best caters to their needs.

In addition to individually meeting with my students, I will also come up with a list of concepts and main ideas that I expect the students to comprehend throughout each book. Throughout our meetings, if it appears to me that they are not on track with comprehending the main concepts provided, I will help guide them toward those concepts throughout our sessions, re-using previously mentioned scaffolding techniques.

http://cdn.teachhub.com/cdn/farfuture/nm1TsFWDa7UdhIHrcvB-aUyDwkmYtvK-IrT4HDDVOE0/mtime:1472217872/sites/default/files/field/image/classroom-management-student-teacher-conference.jpg

I feel as though the education system throughout our country finds it much more convenient to work by the book, instead of taking the creative route; in reality, this is not always the most effective strategy. In fact, it tends to create restrictions and limits on learning. With a self-guided learning project like this one, my students will be able to select a book of their choosing among meaningful alternatives, hopefully allowing peak engagement, as well as comprehension.