Teaching Philosophy

Emily Hoag

Hoagemil@msu.edu

616.322.6000

Respect.

         As an educator, one must love working with children. A vital part of my teaching philosophy is respect for my students. I vow to be respectful of my students’ backgrounds, their lives, their abilities, their learning styles, and above all, the fact that they are children. Out of this respect comes the ability to recognize that each of my students will have different learning styles and as their teacher, I need to meet their needs, whatever they may be. It is my goal to be able to reach children in different ways in order to create a lifelong passion for learning.

Connections.

            I value the importance of creating and maintaining connections to each and every one of my students in order to better inform my instruction as well as creating a safe and productive learning environment in which all students feel valued. If my students feel valued, they will work hard to meet my high, yet reasonable expectations. I will do my best to provide my students with the tools they need to be successful and meet those expectations, including spending extra time with students who need extra attention and providing challenges to those who need to be pushed. I believe that all students have different needs and I will do my best to meet them.

Communication.           

            Another important key in creating lifelong learners is working with parents. I view the formation of a strong education as having three key components: the teacher, the student, and the families of that student. Without any of those parts, a successful education cannot be achieved. I respect that parents have an idea of what they want their student’s education to look like and I will do my best to work with parents in generating the best plan for their child to learn. Communication is key in attaining this goal. I will keep the lines of communication open with each and every parent in order to provide the best opportunities for a student to learn.

Compassion.

            One of the most important components of my teaching philosophy is the compassion and care I show to my students. As an educator, I play a key role in shaping the lives of these students. By showing care and compassion for each and every one of my students, I show my students that I care about more than just the grade they get on a test. I want my students to know that when they enter my classroom, they are in a safe place where they are cared about and respected as more than just a student. This care and compassion will also help me to better get to know my students and be more effective in my instruction. Students will also be more susceptible to wanting to learn if they feel as if they are cared about.