Now don't you all go getting way excited. I am not going to reveal the secrets of my philosophy ;) I just want to put down a few ideas that I have developed from a brief examination of the concept of teaching and what it means to be a teacher.
To me, being a teacher is about facilitating learning. The burden of learning is on the student. If a traveler wants to get from point A to point B, they have many options. She can walk, run, drive, ride, fly, etc. It is up to her to choose and to follow through with her plan. A teacher is like the travel agent. His responsibility is to provide information and point the traveler in the right direction. He cannot force her to go a certain way, and he cannot make the decision to travel at all.
In forming my philosophy I will use this metaphor. I want to help "create a learning environment where students are passionate about discovery." (Brent Webb, BYU Professor; Faculty Development Seminar) Teaching is not just a job, it is not just a career, it is not just a past time. To be a teacher is one of the highest, noblest, callings in life and is, in fact, a way of life. This is a principle that I learned during my mission and has been brought to my mind today.
As a full-time missionary, I was anxiously engaged in always striving to teach others. At first it was tough, but as I worked at it, teaching others became natural and actually a desire ingrained in me. I hope to find that passion and become consumed in education.
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I really enjoyed your analogy: "If a traveler wants to get from point A to point B, they have many options. She can walk, run, drive, ride, fly, etc. It is up to her to choose and to follow through with her plan. A teacher is like the travel agent. His responsibility is to provide information and point the traveler in the right direction. He cannot force her to go a certain way, and he cannot make the decision to travel at all." I think you're onto something here.
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