Philosophy of Teaching

My philosophy of teaching and learning foreign languages has developed, from the beginning, like other teachers in the teaching field, on the communicative approach basis and I think it will continue to do so‚ including some changes according to the context and my students’ needs. The guiding principle in my teaching now includes the idea that, as a teacher, I should seek to empower or capacitate students with the necessary skills to take control of their own learning process, I mean, the tricks of successful language learning, and, at the same time, emulate the behaviors that I expect my students acquire. For this, I should take charge of my own individual development as teacher, researcher and administrator.
The activities I am engaged in, such as learning a second or third language, reading publishing researches, articles, books and papers, or participating in conferences about teaching techniques and methodologies, learning strategies, language learning in context, have a significant impact on my work. Rather than view the development of teaching as the mastery of prevailing principals and theories that have been laid down by others, as a teacher, I can develop my own effective teaching models based on experience as both a teacher and learner of foreign languages.
I know that I need to be able to choose among the multitude of options at hand such as professional literature, my peers’ behavioral observations, and my experience in one and a half years of being a teacher in foreign language courses. Besides, I need to know why I had made these choices because I need to be flexible and open to implement new ideas into my teaching at the same time. Despite everything that has been written, I do know what works best for me when I teach in the classroom, I do know why I love to teach and I do know that I learn as I teach.
In a community interaction is a relevant factor in communication. Personal interaction with my students is one of the most important aspects of my teaching. Interaction is crucial to the development of a good rapport with them. I make a great effort to know their names, their abilities, and needs. Since foreign language classes are small enough, I learn their majors and interests, their schedules. I make myself available outside the classroom by encouraging students to come to me to ask whatever they need in free hours, and I use email to communicate with my students and as a teaching and learning way. I have great respect for the individuality of each one of them. I have a willingness to listen and answer any question.
For me teaching is a learning experience. During my short teaching experience time, I have learned to be flexible in my methodology and approach, to deal with unusual students and learning strategies, and to communicate in a better way every time I teach. I have learned that every student has a story. I have learned to turn my devotion and dedication into a fun activity for the students; I have learned from a nod of comprehension and gain happiness from the smile at a joke. I have received as much as I have given. I have learned every day that teaching is a learning experience.