Waxing Pseudo-philosophical

So, here is the promised follow-up to my introductory essay. It's the philosophy statement I submitted for this latest job interview. The underlying themes of my philosophy seem to be as constant as the tide (How's that for cliche?); however, the tide pools that are created and left and reabsorbed as my life ebbs and flows change as I immerse myself in more scholarly and non-scholarly endeavors. Sometimes it feels like I just keep slamming myself against a rocky shore as I read more and more theory and philosophy. Other days I feel like everything flows like fine grains of sand through my fingers. But enough of my similes. Here's my statement. I hope it reflects in my classroom, in my teaching, and in my life:

When it comes to teaching or learning, I find that absolutes do not exist. There is no silver bullet answer for anything. The same holds true as I attempt to solidify my philosophies in concrete words. So, humbly, I search for balance as I mix my metaphors and speak my piece.

When I try and cram my philosophies into one theoretical box (or framework), constructivism fits best. It involves learners creating their own learning, with the teacher as the facilitator rather than a lecturer. Of course, it’s not a perfect match, but constructivism promotes active learning, student and teacher cooperation and collaboration, as well as personal reflection and analysis in the learning process. These foundational ideas all coincide with my beliefs about learning. I am committed to more practiced-based learning rather than lecture-based learning. I am a firm believer that each individual needs to be responsible for shaping his or her own learning experiences. Small-groups, large groups, as well as individualized learning activities abound in my classroom.

Teachers are not just dispensers of knowledge. They need to be active participants in the learning, helping the students form their own course of study within the boundaries of the class. Besides differentiating instruction for individuals, teachers need to serve as an example of a learner in his or her discipline. For example, when I want to teach my students how to write, I write in front of them, I write with them, I take them through the process. I show them that good writing is hard, but I also show them how hard work is rewarding. When I model correct behavior, work ethic, and appropriate reading and writing strategies, as well as my passion for the content, student apprehension dissipates and confidence builds. Everyone needs a high-quality model.

Accordingly, students cannot sit like bumps on a log and absorb the knowledge of the instructor. Relying on osmosis doesn’t work either. Learners must contribute to the scope and shape of the class to create their own learning. They need to be active participants, involved in critical inquiry and collaboration. Direct instruction, specifically lecturing, doesn’t work for all learners. Multiple strategies need to be employed to engage learners with multiple styles.

Students bring a lot to the learning table with their prior knowledge and experiences, their culture, their home (and other) cultural and social literacies. As I have shifted over time into a more constructivist paradigm, my students appear to be are more engaged and willing to learn. More of my marginalized students come out of their personal bubbles to participate and contribute to the classroom community. My approach is more concerned with depth and understanding, or connectability, than memorization. Perhaps because I am personally horrendous at memorizing facts and figures, this deeper understanding appeals to me as an instructor and as a learner.

I am the first to admit that I do not have all the answers, but I am trying to find them. Students are individuals; they have individual needs, and individual ways of learning. The best I can do is treat them as individuals, utilize a multitude of strategies, provide an inclusive learning environment, serve as the model of a passionate learner, and allow them the space to grow one step at a time.

Again, as usual, I am willing to answer questions or take criticisms. Feel free to argue. Fire away!

P.S. I'm still waiting to hear about the job. Probably won't hear for another couple weeks.

What I've Been Up To Lately

As some of you already know, I have applied for a position at Utah Valley University. Today I interviewed for (essentially) 6.5 hours. Now I'm done. It's out of my hands. I'll find out in about three weeks the jury's decision. But no matter what happens, it's been a good experience, a chance for me to verbalize and vocalize some of my beliefs and theories and methods and practices. And I wanted to share with you two pieces. The first, which follows, is part of the cover letter I sent. Now, I am re-confessing that I have used bits and pieces of this essay for multiple endeavors, and it has served me well. I believe it shows a little of who I am as an educator, as a learner, as a writer, and as a human being. Any feedback would be helpful. I'll post the second piece, my most recently written philosophy statement, in a day or so.

Embellishment. What might seem a great vocabulary word for a fifth-grader plagues me to this day—it’s what Mrs. Curry repeatedly accused me and my C- handwriting of overdoing when it came to my compositions. Despite my protests that dry, crusty facts were boring without a little gravy on top, my passion for details and descriptions caused me to lose points on more than one occasion. Writing the bare minimum for any assignment, report, grant, or speech never quite cut it for me. Words are potent. And as a teenager is drawn to pepperoni and cheese, I was, and still am, attracted to the power of words. As my writing matures, and the embellishments are tamed and more polished, my passion for the writing process burns brighter.

For twelve years I’ve been teaching language arts in the public school system, attempting to share my passion with young readers and writers, even those bordering on illiteracy. And I love it. One of my biggest disappointments comes in the students’ ability to write. Perhaps the only thing worse is their apathy, their lack of enthusiasm for writing. They’d rather have their underwear run up the flagpole or be pegged repeatedly by red playground balls than be forced to squeeze a sentence onto the paper, let alone a paragraph or two. Essays and personal narratives constitute tortures worse than death.

Unfortunately, I believe quite a few teachers do the bare minimum when it comes to having students write. Maybe it’s due to overcrowded classes, or just a general fear of grading papers, or guiding students through the writing process. Whatever the cause, I don’t believe teachers fully pass along their love for language be it through practice or preaching. Bummer.

As part of my teaching experience, I’ve been privileged to work with and mentor new teachers as well as pre-service teachers. Because of this opportunity, I’ve been able to witness multiple types of teaching and classroom environments. I’ve witnessed firsthand the change in education due to politics, economics, and other outside forces. And with all these contributing factors, writing gets asphyxiated slowly by multiple choice end-of-level tests and other forms of required assessments.

However, despite all my experiences—both in the classroom and in school leadership roles—I feel that I could do more good for public education and the furthering of effective writing practices by moving to the university level in order to have a stronger influence on pre-service teachers. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to abandon the public schools entirely. Public education holds the keys to the future. I believe that the best way to better public education is to form a stronger partnership between it and higher education. And although I know that I have not yet completed my doctoral degree—I’m still plowing through the coursework—working with pre-service English teachers is where I’d love to make my mark.

My voice and my heart lie in young adult literature. My experience teaching junior high pubescent geeks has given me insight into the normal abnormalities of the age group, and I hope to capture that awkward period of everybody’s life in my writing, in my practices, and hopefully, one day in the methods and strategies I can pass along to pre-service teachers en masse.

To expound a little further, my literacy interests involve teaching writing, the pedagogy and practice, and the relationship it has to reading, especially with adolescents and their connections to the world through multiple literacies. Student motivation for reading and writing has also been an interest of mine, especially in reference to boys, as well as looking at those students who may either be advanced or those who are more reluctant in their literacies. Teaching comprehension of literature through effective use of strategies also falls under my realm of understanding and practice. In conjunction, I love to help those who come to play the school game with literary disadvantages understand that through the use of strategic reading and writing, they, too, may achieve great heights in the literacy world. My other interests include managing the physical aspects of the classrooms, the acceptance of new/alternative literacies (especially with technology), and thinking outside the box when it comes to the methods of teaching reading and writing. Finally, I believe that most of this can be realized through the training and mentoring of novice teachers; although even the seasoned ones can be taught “new” tricks through professional learning communities and collaboration. Pre-service instructional methods and field experience play a major role, and I’d like to be a part of any advancement, or for lack of a better term, embellishment of the teaching of writing, reading, and the power of words.

P.S. I thought I did pretty well. I'm curious to see if I match the hiring committee's needs.