PLE 1. Designing and Delivering Instruction: Education philosophy personal reflection

Designing and Delivering Online Instruction: Personal Reflections

EDU633

Dr. Sue Shaw

January 29, 2024

Designing and Delivering Online Instruction: Personal Reflections

                                                                  Teaching Philosophy: Reflections

Before taking this course, I had no experience designing and delivering online instruction except for my previous Learning Management System course. I was hesitant about writing my teaching philosophy for the first time. My only experience with education was working as a substitute teacher and with the Head Start program. My teaching philosophy is rooted in my goals to teach the whole child effectively. I feel strongly about this approach and know the personal origin of it; however, it was challenging to place my thoughts on paper. Initially, I did not care for the peer review assignment. I did not want other peers to judge what I did not feel confident about. Ultimately, the peer review assignment turned out to be a lifesaver. I felt armed with knowledge of how to prepare my teaching philosophy better. It was also encouraging to hear what I said was important. Although I know there will undoubtedly be areas that need improvement, I now feel more confident about preparing a teaching philosophy.  

All the feedback I received from my peers helped me complete my second draft. Some strengths my peers listed regarding my teaching philosophy included: 

• Compelling personal narrative: Peer stated that listing my struggles as a student added a personal touch tomystudent philosophy.
• Clear focus: Peer stated the whole child approach was clearly defined and consistently linked to my beliefs about teaching and learning.
• Commitment to inclusivity: Peer stated that my desire to create a safe and supportive classroom environment for all students shines through my writing.
• Research-backed: My teaching philosophy included research to support the whole-child approach.:
• Emphasis on relationships: Peers stated I highlighted the importance of positive relationships with students and peers in facilitating learning.

            The area peers suggested needed improvement include:

• I should provide more concrete examples: Peers suggested I add concrete examples of how I would implement the whole child in teaching. Describe specific strategies to address students’ social and emotional needs, foster positive relationships, and create supportive learning. One way I will address students’ social and emotional needs is to include daily journaling assignments for online students. Daily journaling will give me insight into students’ emotional states when face-to-face contact is unavailable.
• Expand on assessment: Peers suggested I address how I will assess student progress academically, socially, and emotionally. I will address the needs of each student by keeping individual folders containing vital information on their academic performance relating to areas of strengths and weaknesses in specific subjects. 
• Connect to curriculum: Peers suggested I link my philosophy to specific curriculum content or teaching styles. My teaching style will be Student-focused based on the needs of each student.
• Address potential challenges: Peers suggested I acknowledge potential challenges in implementing a whole-child approach. Implementing the whole-child approach can be challenging. The whole child approach requires you to focus on each learner within their academic, physical, and emotional needs. One issue that could arise is the ability to concentrate fully on each student in the time frame given.