Ellen D Collins

Professional Portfolio

 

When asked advice from a young substitute teacher, Frank McCourt responded:

"Find out what you love and do it.That's what it boils down to. I admit that I didn't always love teaching. I was out of my depth. You're on your own in the classroom, one man or woman facing five classes every day, five classes of teenagers. One unit of energy against one hundred seventy-five ticking bombs, and you have to find ways of saving your own life....The classroom is a place of high drama.. You'll never know what you've done to, or for the hundreds coming and going...It's you and the kids. There's the bell. See you later. Find what you love and do it." (255)

McCourt, Frank.Teacher Man. New York: Scribner, 2005

Guatemalan mola
 
 
Educational Philosophy

Education in the 21st century requires that teachers and students work together; if students and teachers believe in the need for continual learning and growth, students will grow to be concerned with their own learning and the learning of others in the community and world. Most important is for students to learn how to learn and to learn how to think. A teacher who has a passion and enthusiasm for teaching and the subject matter can inspire and spark learning.

To actively involve students, a teacher must work to help students make connections and scaffold information so as to expand and to expose students to ideas. In order to achieve these goals, I believe that a combination of philosophies and approaches to teaching are appropriate in the 21st century.

To engage students in their own learning and to enable students to construct their own understanding and meaning, a constructivist approach is extremely effective. Constructivism requires students to participate in making sense of what they are learning. Constructivism directly involves the student.

Cooperative Learning is a powerful tool in the classroom. Students learn important social skills of how to work together as a team. Students learn from each other but also are responsible for helping others learn and understand the material.

Using technology in the classroom greatly enhances learning. Technology can be used to connect students to the outside world, allow for individualized instruction and rapidly deliver and send information and feedback. Technology can also help to make learning student centered. Since students are already proficient with technology, technology is a natural fit.

I also realize how important it is to involve the family and the community in education as schools work to improve and adapt to the quickly changing world.

The George Lucus Educational Foundation (GLEF) has developed a 10-point credo about what is important for the future of schools. I feel that this credo strongly supports my educational philosophy.