Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy

Sarah Jane-Pedersen

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”—Paulo Freire

Conceptualization of Teaching

 I see my educational philosophy much like a constellation, comprised of many stars, each in balance, with unique characteristics poised within a collective to co-create one constellation. Astronomers, philosophers and explorers have turned to the stars: guiding exploration of new worlds, navigating their journeys and exploring concepts of the unknown. This constellation is reflective of the practice of critical pedagogy and my educational philosophy, where the classroom can become a space for exploration, looking to tools and resources already set fourth, to challenge and create new ideas and concepts through the balance of critique, dialogue and co-construction of project based assignments.

My educational philosophy has three primary components: play, critical consciousness and collaborative/collective learning. Playfulness is a very powerful tool that can be implemented in all facets of teaching and learning. Play aids in questioning social constructed systems, and challenges authenticity and traditional “banking” methods of learning (Freire, 1970). In classroom construction creating an environment that is playful encourages risk taking, honesty, self-reflection and making mistakes; in essence the freedom to be vulnerable. In my class I utalize group work, peer reviews, and in class activities to foster a space that privileges playfulness.

Within the framework of playfulness, critical consciousness and collaborative/collective learning can be realized. Critical consciousness asks us to be self-reflective and critical of the positionalities and lenses that we and others use to perceive our world. Peer reviews, class dialogue and exposure to various readings, theories and experiences foster critical consciousness. I implement collaborative/collective learning through progressive projects that are worked on throughout the semester, incorporating peer critiques and feedback, revision, and self-reflection that are graded through quality of work and progress made.  These tenets are key factors in creating space for critical thinking and transformative practice. My teaching philosophy reflects my investment in valuing various funds of knowledge, experiences and human dignity, fostering open dialogue that encourages accountability and risk taking.

Classroom Construction

Education has transformational possibilities and potential to create “safe” spaces, critically exploring my own positionalities, simultaneously asking my students to explore their positionalities, while critically analyzing multimodal texts aids in the co-creation of learning spaces that can create a third space as defined by Edward Soja; which is neither teacher or student centered and contains subjectivity and objectivity, the abstract and the concrete, the real and the imagined, the knowable and the unimaginable.  Asking my students to delve into diverse ways of knowing through class dialogues, reflective assignments and project based exploration opens doors to worlds which may not have been previously accessible. As an educator, to create space that affirms and values various funds of knowledge and ways of knowing, as well as to perform critical analysis upon my own privilege is difficult but a key component that requires constant development.

Goals for students

bell hooks (1994) states “children are organically predispositioned to be critical thinkers”, and it is important to utilize and honor the funds of knowledge that students bring to the classroom. Asking students to co-create some aspects of the structure of the class as well as requesting them to have ownership of what they choose to do their projects on, brings their funds of knowing and experiences into the classroom, honoring their expertise and instilling confidence in their personal skillsets and interests aids in the transformation of one’s own perceptions of identity, worth and agency. Emphasizing the creation of transformational third space within learning environments while bringing in various in-school and out-of-school funds of knowledge encourages my students to develop their voices and perception of their worlds which—becomes a practice of freedom. I want my students to learn how to deal critically and creatively with texts, theories and perceptions of their worlds as well as gain a strong understanding of their role and participation in the transformation of their worlds.

Personal growth plan

I feel that it is my role as a teacher and an individual to acknowledge and take accountability of my own privilege and acts of discrimination and oppression. To challenge Dominant discourse by acknowledging systematic and social inequalities and to challenge other members of my community to do the same. I believe it is our responsibility to not “sleep through the revolution”, to not “fail to achieve the new mental outlooks that the new situation demands” or to become complacent or static but to always carry with me the “idea of freedom and human dignity”(King 1965).

The current construction of education supports and maintains capitalistic winner takes all scenarios, which, I feel it is our responsibility as educators to challenge and be cognizant that this is the discourse that has been enacted upon students. Collaborative and collective learning situates the students as having expertise and agency as well as situates the teacher as the learner. “Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction”(Freire, 1970).

I plan to further my growth as a teacher by continuing my own education and cultivating play and hope in my pedagogy. One needs hope and play within educational spaces to counter difficult topics such as the critical analysis of self and others, this gives students and educators space to make mistakes, be vulnerable and critique others: hopefully walking away with a little less hurt than would have otherwise been received.

The creation of third space: spaces that allow/encourage resistance, critical thinking and valuing of different funds of knowledges are difficult to construct, navigate and maintain not only for educators but for students as well. I will continue to strive to evaluate and gain insights from my colleagues and current research to maintain the creation of these spaces.

I think it is my role as an educator and an individual to question the current construction of systems and to ask who is being benefited, who is being left out of the discussion or being marginalized and how am I benefiting or being privileged? Ultimately my role is to question, to take accountability and to challenge others of my community to take accountability and to resist dominant Discourses.  My role, my educational pedagogy and my construction is to question and be questioned.