My Educational Philosophy Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Educational Philosophy Statement - Essay Example In this essay, I would like to narrate my educational philosophy, which enabled me to develop my teaching career and explore myself to become the achiever of my long term cherished goal. Since my childhood I have been longing for becoming a good teacher not only for students but for the community as well. The phrase 'good teacher' can be interpreted in many perspectives depending upon the philosophy one follows. Personally, I believe that teacher has a prominent role to play in the lives of his students as he is one of the closest companions who knows students' pulses more than any other. As Beth Lewis remarks in a journal article that "I believe that a teacher is morally obligated to enter the classroom with only the highest of expectations for each and every one of her students. Thus, the teacher maximizes the positive benefits that naturally come along with any self-fulfilling prophecy; with dedication, perseverance, and hard work, her students will rise to the occasion" (Lewis Be th, n.d.). To become an endless source of inspiration to students, Beth points out that the teacher should be one who views- "I aim to bring an open mind, a positive attitude, and high expectations to the classroom each day. I believe that I owe it to my students, as well as the community, to bring consistency, diligence, and warmth to my job in the hope that I can ultimately inspire and encourage such traits in the children as well (Lewis Beth, n.d.). Attributes of a Teacher Every teacher should have certain qualities which make them different from others. A teacher should always focus on the benefits of society as a whole. He/she must work for the common good rather than his/her individual interest. In fact, a teacher must be a role model for the whole populace in his/her region. Like any other area, success lies in attitude and approach. The successful teachers are everywhere alike. As Melissa Kelly pointed out, successful teachers share some common characteristics (Kelly, n.d.). I also believe that the following attributes are unavoidable for a teacher in his career. Sense of Humor The sense of humor helps to relieve you from tension and make the students happy. A class room with rigorous protocols is no longer produce students' creative skills. They might score good marks in the examination, but their creativity will not be satisfactory. They might be poor in soft skills such as negotiation skill. Furthermore, it allows a teacher to experience the joy of life as a teacher and forget the bitter experiences in his/her life and career. Positive Attitude As I mentioned earlier, a teacher is a role model for students. Students always prefer to catch the qualities of their teacher. One with a positive attitude never fails in life is well known to all. In the teaching profession one may come across many hurdles, but they cane be overcome successfully with positive attitude and enthusiasm. The positive attitude of a teacher is inculcated in his/her students through his/her classes and interactions. High Expectations One of the key factors for success is high expectations. If a teacher has high expectations on his/her students, the students will also try to achieve great things in life. But, that does not mean that a teacher should always be after high unrealistic expectations. Consistency A positive learning environment is characterized by consistency of a teacher and his approach. The consistency in

Teacher education in Qatar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teacher education in Qatar - Research Paper Example A key aim of this study is to find out why TESOL education is floundering in Qatar, and suggest improvements to this situation using modern technology. The aim of the fieldwork is to identify barriers to the use of technology in TESOL and to propose strategies for integrating more technology into Qatari TESOL teacher training and thereby strengthen TESOL provision for all future students and teachers of English in Qatar. Empirical data is gathered by means of questionnaires and structured interviews. The aim of this fieldwork is to establish how technology is being used in teacher education and how far it meets the current needs of teacher trainees. The views of student teachers and their lecturers are gathered and compared, and any strengths and weaknesses are identified. The results are analyzed and recommendations are made on appropriate ways to remedy any deficiencies in TESOL teacher training provision in Qatar. Significance of the study in the Qatari context Along with other de veloping nations, most Arabic speaking countries in the Gulf region are engaged in a comprehensive program of reform in their education systems (Brewer et al. 2006). This is driven partly by forces of globalization, which make demands on the local population such as an ability to speak foreign languages and operate in a multi-cultural work environment, and partly by internal adjustments to phenomena like the need to train students and staff in the use of new technologies (Alghazo, 2006) and a drive for quality improvement across the board.board. There has been an increasing privatisation of schools, in line with Ministry of Education’s policy since 2009, and this places considerable demands on the teacher training programmes which supply newly qualified teachers and some in service training to these schools (Constant et al, 2010). Qatar’s program of education reform is at a critical stage in its development. On the one hand great progress has been made in agreeing new priorities, both in terms of teaching methods and attainment targets, but on the other hand, the lingering presence of outdated methodologies and practices in the classroom is holding students back from achieving the best possible outcomes. English was made compulsory throughout Qatari schools, colleges and universities , and there has been an increasing emphasis on providing subject specific tuition in English as well as pure English language classes (Mansareh, 2011). Very recently, however, there has been a partial revision of this policy, with a new ministry decree encouraging some university courses to revert back to Arabic, and the likelihood that schools may follow suit (Fenton, 2012). There appears to be an on-going debate at the highest level in Qatar about the effectiveness of its English language provision, and its place in the education system. It is vital that the gap between Qatar’s ambitions for English language education and its current practice, is understood, along with the reasons why these problems remain, and potential solutions for addressing any deficiencies. Despite a long tradition of teaching English in Qatar, some of the results have not been ideal. It may be unrealistic to make up for deficiencies in previous planning and practices, but it is both possible and necessary to make better plans for the present and future. Teacher educational programs are the key to the future of Qatar’s education system, and so this study uses a literature review to