User:Wkent279

About The Author: Hello, My name is Whitney Kent. I am junior, but only a few credits short of a senior. I live in Chesapeake, Va and graduated fro Great Bridge High. I plan on teaching first or second grade. I plan on moving to the west coast after graduation, where I will begin my teaching career. Along with teaching, I plan on dancing for an NBA team. I am currently on the dynasty dance team at Old Dominion. I work at Machismos burrito bar, where I have been employed for about four years.

Teaching Philosophy:  I believe that having your own unique teaching philosophy is what separates the good teachers from the bad. The public education system, in my opinion is flawed with teachers that lack originality in the way they instruct their students. As a teacher there are many obstacles that one must overcome. I believe that teachers should handle special needs children with patience as well as be understanding of their needs. I do not believe that boys and girls should be handled differently. Handling children differently based on their gender allows room for one gender group to feel left out.Groping students by ability is something that I have mixed feelings about. I feel that it is somewhat negative because labeling students by their intelligence hinders a student’s confidence, and not only leaves room for other students to judge their peers. A positive aspect of grouping is that a student that is strong in a particular subject may hold them back from progressing. I believe that there should be a bilingual education because not only is this something all students can benefit from, but it makes students well rounded and allows them to explore different cultures. As far as the classroom setup I will lecture for half and allow the students to work on assignments, because a student truly can grasp the concept of the material if they are allowed hands on based learning. With hands on learning all students should be required to complete the same activities. In my future classroom I would expect a lot of student interactions as well as some involvement with the teacher. Students I feel can learn material better when they can communicate with their peers. I will enforce positive motivation consistently because the students will generally succeed with the support of their peers. I plan to use a wide variety of technology in the classroom. As the generations have become more technology dependent, using technology will motivate the students to learn the information. I will use the smart board as well as interactive computer software. I feel that peer reviews can motivate students and allow students to explore their peers work as well as receive positive feedback. I feel that the purpose of school has become so directly focused on teaching to the test and that this has take the creativity out of teaching. Advocating originality will help students become motivated to learn. College prep is something that is not advocated in school and I feel that it should so students have an idea of what life is going to be like after high school.