Personal Narrative: Educational Beliefs

~The following is a personal narrative to describe the important beliefs that I hold about education thus far in my career.~

       

       Throughout my field experiences and educational courses, I have developed several important beliefs about education.  In education I value; incorporating family and community involvement, continuous assessment, health promotion, a focus on multiple intelligences, collaboration with colleagues, and social justice in the classroom in order to foster personal achievement and growth within the student.  One important belief I hold is that cooperative learning is the best way for students to work together and maximize learning. Small group interactions will promote each other’s success and create positive relationships between all students.  I also believe in a humanistic approach because it instills self-motivation.  When a child is inwardly driven, they gain a sense of reward from their achievement, thus developing positive self-esteem.  Another important belief I hold is a constructivist approach to learning because it is very positive for a learning environment.  This approach inspires learners to build new ideas upon their existing knowledge, beliefs, and skills.  I intend to achieve this by using the five E’s approach: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.  Students should reflect on their past before engaging with a new activity.  Students should be able to explore with hands on activities and be provided an opportunity to explain their understandings.  Students should then be allowed to practice and improve their new skills.  Overall, my beliefs will create a fun, safe, student centered, flexible, open-minded enriching learning environment where every student is able to succeed.  I look forward to the opportunity I have been given to further develop my skills and beliefs with my Student Teaching experience.