I believe students learn best when they are motivated to learn by seeing the value
and importance of the information presented in the classroom. This is because if the
students are not interested in the material presented, they will not learn it. An interactive
classroom environment is also an essential component to effective learning. This is
because by having students actively participate in classroom interactions, they are more
likely to pay attention to and learn. I also believe student learning occurs when students
are given opportunities to apply information presented in class to real life situations. This
is because it allows for the transfer and maintenance of knowledge. The teacher’s role in
student learning is to motivate students to learn. Another role of the teacher is to facilitate
learning. The main goals I have for my students are to develop and apply their reading,
writing, speaking, listening, problem-solving, and study skills to their full potential.
I develop my beliefs in the classroom by using a combination of lecture,
classroom interactions, applications of concepts to real world situations, and visual and
tactile components. I stimulate interest and motivate students to learn by being engaging
and by illustrating the value and importance of the material presented. This is
accomplished by utilizing a friendly tone when discussing information in class, by
encouraging my students’ participation in classroom discussions, and by demonstrating
the relevance of course topics to students’ work experiences.
In my classroom, I promote an interactive learning environment by allowing my
students to raise their hand and ask questions at any time and by asking for student input
regularly during PowerPoint presentations and classroom discussions. In addition to
contributing to an interactive learning environment, case studies and group work are used
to improve students problem solving, reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
Additionally, I facilitate student learning by allowing the pace of class to be
dictated by the students’ ability to understand and apply the material uncovered in class. I
also do this by administering one-minute papers to my students to obtain anonymous
feedback that I will use in adapting my curriculum to better meet the needs of my
students. Lastly, I facilitate learning by being available to my students inside and outside
of class and by incorporating assignments that meet the needs of students of various
learning styles.
To summarize, I feel that in order to achieve the ultimate goal of student learning
it is important to use a combination of teaching methods and to make the classroom
environment as stimulating and interactive as possible. This will ultimately help students
learn and apply the course content to their future careers.