Achieving Academic Identities

When tasked with the responsibility of teaching, it is my intent to inspire interest and excitement in my students regarding the subject. However, I understand that every single student will not develop an interest in the material. Therefore, I believe my job is to engage students by providing them with skills that will enhance their academic identities, even when they have no interest in the subject. By enhancing students’ academic identities, I am providing them with skills that can be transferred to all classes, future academic pursuits, and even into their personal lives. As a result of this belief, I have developed a teaching philosophy that rests upon three major tenets. First, I am grounded in a constructivist epistemology, which emphasizes creating knowledge and learning through a co-construction between students and teacher. As a result, I create a constructivist learning environment, which provides students with the opportunity to add to their understanding and learn the material. I create this type of environment by establishing that the classroom is a safe space where we all respect each other and value all opinions. …show more content…
I also believe that teaching has influenced my own academic identity as I strive to become a more effective teacher each time I step into the classroom. As a result, I evaluate and revamp my teaching style based on student feedback, understanding, and grades. If students have trouble on quizzes, tests, or papers, I explore ways that I can improve my teaching to help them while still embracing the three points of my teaching philosophy. By modeling this behavior for my students, I can help them to become self-reflective, which is a valuable skill to have for academic and personal