Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Classroom Essays

Teaching Philosophy Teachers are the sculptors of every child’s future. No other job comes with the satisfaction of knowing that you have made at least the slightest difference in a child’s life. Little things that you say and do will always be remembered. Not only will you be a teacher but you will also play the role as, a friend, mentor, hero, and many others. As a teacher I plan to run my classroom with rules and consequences, but my students will realize that they are treated fairly. They will have a voice and say so concerning what goes on in the classroom. Seating arrangements will depend on classroom instructional activities. There will be lots of group activities, since most kindergarteners aren’t used to being around children their own age. The room will be bright and very colorful to keep their senses alert. My bulletin boards will display the calendar, colors, numbers, and the alphabet. They will include people from all cultures on them. I will have learning centers around the room that the students will be able to go to in their free time. These centers will teach the students to tie their shoes, button their clothes, cut out shapes, color in the lines, and other supplementary skills. My classroom will be run in a democratic fashion, which is pragmatism. The students will have lots of say so over the rules and the way the classroom is run. It will be child centered since the students will be the most important part of the classroom. They will have a voice and say so concerning what goes on in the classro om. These are examples of how I will use the existentialism philosophy. I will be a guide in the learning process of my students. I would establish a non-authoritarian classroom. I want my students to see me as their instructor, not their boss or authority figure. I will run a facilitating classroom with circle seating arrangements, student centered activities, problem solving, and reciprocal teaching. I feel as if I am a pragmatist and I will use the theory or progressivism to run my classroom.

The Keys to Successful Parenting

Kendallyn February 7, 2013 Mr. Mellema English 11 The Keys to Successful Parenting Being a successful parent requires a whole lot more than just providing for the physical needs of a child. To achieve being a successful parent, it means to be completely committed to building the well-being of the child. Personally, I think the qualities a successful parent should have is to be completely understanding and supportive, having faith in them, and being full of unconditional love. Having these qualities can have a great outcome of your child's behavior.And I'm sure that's what every parent wants. Showing Support and understanding is key in successful parenting. Understanding your child and taking time out of your day to talk with them and understand them is a very powerful way of showing love and compassion in my opinion. Listening to your kid can, and will draw a closer bond between you and can result in a lot less conflict. I believe by not showing nor having this quality, it can lead t o an unhealthy relationship and disconnection between you and your child.Also, having an absence of someone listening to you and understanding you as a child can result in future problems such as mentally and unhealthy habits. I know this because I have witnessed this in my life. â€Å"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing that it is stupid. â€Å"- Albert Einstein. I think that this quote applies to parenting in some way. I believe that parents should notice and praise all the positive things that a child does in life.It can sure be a confidence boost. You should avoid jokingly calling your child â€Å"dumb†, â€Å"brat†, â€Å"good for nothing,† because there's always that chance that they don’t know you're just teasing them. Some kids take that kind of stuff to heart and start believing that they truly are â€Å"dumb† and ‘good for nothing'. I believe by havin g complete faith in your child not only boosts their confidence, but it makes them realize all the good things they can accomplish. All these qualities are great to have, but I think the absolutely most important quality you hould have is showing and having unconditional love for your children. Growing up, it is inevitable to not make mistakes. It's just apart of life. So when your child does make a mistake, it shouldn’t change how much love you have for them. Without love, there would be no strong foundation to build up a good relationship with your child or even your family. It just wouldn’t be possible to have a healthy stable family if love was absent in your home. I know I'm just a teenager and I have no experience being a parent, but by the looks of it, parenting sure doesn’t look easy.I know there is so much more to being a parent and there are as much responsibilities that reach beyond the moon that goes with it, but I believe by building up these qualit ies that I listed can make parenting a lot more successful and easy on you. So what I'm basically saying is if you keep these qualities in mind, have positive attitude and raise your children with complete positivity and love, there can be a prodigious outcome. And I think that it's totally worth it.

Water for Elephants Book Club Discussion Questions

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a must read a story about a 90-year-old man remembering his days with a circus during The Great Depression. Use these book club discussion questions on Water for Elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story.Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details about Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Finish the book before reading on. Book Club Questions Water for Elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. How do the chapters about the older Jacob enrich the story about Jacob’s adventure with the circus? How would the novel be different if Gruen had only written about the younger Jacob, keeping the story linear and never describing Jacob’s life as an old man?Did the chapters about the nursing home change how you think about older people? In what ways are the doctors and nurses condescending? How is Rosemary different? How do you treat older people?In chapter two, the twenty-three-year-old Jacob starts his story by telling us he is a virgin. From the cooch tent to the erections the older Jacob gets when being bathed, sexuality is woven into the whole story. Why do you think Gruen added these details? What role does sexuality play in Water for Elephants?When you first read the Prologue, who did you think murdered the man? Were you surprised by who the actual murderer was ?The book begins with a quote from Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss: â€Å"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant†¦An elephant’s faithful—one hundred percent!† What is the role of faithfulness and loyalty in Water for Elephants? How do different characters define loyalty? (Jacob, Walter, Uncle Al).Why does Jacob get so mad about Mr. McGuinity lying about carrying water for elephants? Do you see any similarities of temperament between the young Jacob and the old Jacob?In what ways is Water for Elephants a survival story? A love story? An adventure?Water for Elephants has a happy ending for Jacob, but not for many other characters. Discuss Walter and Camel’s fates. How does tragedy fit into the story?There is an â€Å"us and them† mentality in the circus between performers and workers. How does Jacob bridge these two classes of people? Why does each group hate another group? Does the circus merely mirror society in an exaggerated way?Ar e you satisfied with the end?In the Author’s Note, Gruen writes that many of the details in the story are factual or come from circus workers’ anecdotes. These true stories include the hippo pickled in formaldehyde, the deceased fat lady being paraded through town and an elephant who repeatedly pulled out her stake and stole lemonade. Gruen did extensive research before writing Water for Elephants. Was her story believable?Rate Water for Elephants on a scale of 1 to 5.