1. Philosophy of Education
Sandra Jaquette
My goal as a science or biology teacher is to effectively teach all my students and instill in them a
love of science. As a future educator, I have developed beliefs on what the ideal education is, and
how I will deliver that experience to my students. My teaching philosophy encompasses three areas.
First of all, an effective teacher must provide students with the opportunity to acquire, practice, and
receive reinforcement of fundamental knowledge and skills. Secondly, a good teacher encourages
students to think, by teaching them not to accept information passively, but to question, analyze, and
test newly acquired knowledge. Third, an effective teacher will design instruction which motivates
students and provides them with both real world connections to the content and opportunities for
success.
Students need to build fundamental knowledge of the unifying concepts in science. As a teacher, I will
communicate knowledge by taking into account diverse learning styles and multiple intelligences.
This will be accomplished by presenting concepts in different ways such as lecture, multi-media
presentations, problem solving, and cooperative grouping. In addition, because each student is
unique and learns in different ways, lessons will be differentiated by including scaffolding, and
adapting whole group lessons for diverse learners. Students will know that my classroom is a safe
place to learn, where differences are accepted, and there are high expectations for behavior and
learning. I will strive to maintain a classroom where students will feel comfortable to explore ideas,
make mistakes, ask questions and take part in discussions.
A priority for science or biology teachers should be for students to leave the classroom understanding
how to be critical of science, analyze science, and relate new science knowledge to their daily lives. I
believe that guided inquiry based instruction and collaborative learning are very effective ways to
teach these skills. Inquiry helps students practice problem solving and critical thinking skills and by
applying these higher-order thinking skills, students can process knowledge that enables them to
become independent learners. Equally important, students will use these skills throughout their lives,
either in a science career, or in other rapidly changing areas such as technology and medicine.
As a scientist, a teacher should inspire curiosity in students. Capturing students’ interest in science is
crucial not only to improving science learning, but to promote science literacy in order to prepare
students for a society that is very science and technologically driven. Motivation is a critical criterion in
the learning process. Teacher attitude and enthusiasm toward the subject plays an important role in
engaging students. My students will see that I am engaged and interested in the subject of science
and they will be inspired to learn. Students are also motivated by active learning; therefore, I want my
classroom to be student-centered. Techniques such as think-pair-share, student choice for lesson
process and produce, and group discussions are ways to motivate students to learn, and help them
take control of their own learning process.
Finally, due to the ever changing realm of science and education in the 21 st Century, I believe that it is
critical to be a lifelong learner. This will allow me to always be on the cutting edge of new
developments in science education so that I can be the best teacher possible for my students. I will
continually be learning through research, classroom experience, and interaction with my peers. In
addition, I will continue to improve my teaching skills by engaging in reflection, allowing me to think
critically about what is working and what is not. This will enable me to adapt my teaching to better
meet the needs of my students.