About Me
Welcome to my online portfolio.
My portfolio is designed to introduce you to my professional and educational background. I have been interested in teaching and education since I was five, and that's why I have pursed my degrees in the field. My teaching philosophy can be summarized by the following main points.
Help students learn the language for everyday use and in the work field…
Students learn a language for any of three purposes in higher education: for fun, to use it in a work field as a second language, or to pursue their education in a foreign country. In all cases, learning may mostly be intrinsically motivated by the student. My job, as an instructor, is to create an atmosphere that fosters learning. I am an instructor because I have a passion for guiding students through the learning process, in addition to a passion for the material I present. One of the best ways to foster learning is to demonstrate those feelings to my students. I encourage learning by creating a relaxed environment for students, stimulating conversation about concepts being presented and organizing material in a way that makes it easiest to understand.
Teaching for different learning styles…
Every student is unique, and this is why I believe in differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students. A class is a mixture of students from different ethnical and socioeconomic backgrounds, multiple intelligences, interests, special needs, and learning styles. Knowing that makes me aware that every human being learns differently. That is why in my lessons I focus on different activities to reach one concept so that I make sure that every student constructed meaning in his/her own way.
Using constructivist learning and assistive technology in teaching…
In some cases, I am the lecture type of teacher. However, my preference resides in helping students construct meaning from different sources and link them to schemas that they already possess. Establishing this stage would help learners keep new information in their long term memory instead of forgetting them right after class ends. I like to back up learning with technology such as powerpoint presentations, videos, audio, etc. Visual aids assist students to see real life situations where the language is used and help students construct meaning easier.
Quality of education v/s quantity…
I believe that learning is not about quantity if the learner has not mastered all the acquired objectives. In my teaching, I make sure that every student reached the learning objective before moving to another. This is possible through formal and informal assessments that take place in class. Furthermore, homework assignments are another source to determine the understanding of students.