My Teaching Philosophy
One of the good things I learned from Murray State University is not to judge people according to their stereotypes and to keep in mind that most people are not wrong, but rather they are different. I have long-term goals and primary goals in my teaching philosophy. They are represented in facilitating complex issues to my students and creating ways that objectively measure students' learning and not reduce learning the English language to mere memorization. I am going to assist my students to develop sophisticated thinking skills that will enable them to a better understanding of English language.
My teaching philosophy is represented in the following points:
1) I am going to facilitate English language to my students and enhance their abilities to express themselves by simplifying difficulties they encounter and be the ice breaker instrument in their hands. I will provide them with good articles or reading materials that may help reduce their difficulties. I am going to give them the freedom, to some extent, to express themselves and compete with each other. I will create a kind of relaxation in my classes so that students feel free to act normally and reveal their knowledge.
2) I will let my students promote their abilities to become independent learners and teach them how to improve their weak points through reading. I believe that the best way to learn English is through reading. During the reading process, readers learn new things, new structures, new ideas, and new styles. I am going to encourage my students to become consumers of new good published materials. I know that most Arab learners do not read anything but their text books, and this is the main problem behind their weakness in the English language. To speak frankly, most Arabs do not read much. One of the most important functions of the language instructor is to help students move past the idea of reading and stopping to check the meaning of new vocabulary, and promote them to use top-down strategies as they do in their native language.
3) I am going to foster a relationship with my students in and out of class. I will make sure to give them my e-mail address and have theirs to reach each other. I will benefit from the free e-mail services and use it to enhance this relationship. I am going to advise them to use the internet to read in their free time because the only way to practice English in my country are inside English classes or through the media, including the internet, and of course I will advise them not to navigate bad sites.
4) I will encourage my students to participate in the class and make sure that every student has a chance to participate. Participation inside class can reveal students' proficiency levels. It is like a mirror that reflects teachers' effort with their students inside class. If I notice any weak points among my students, I will not hesitate to explain the subject again and again to avoid this weakness or clarify this ambiguity.
5) I will tell my students my office hours. For me, it is important to tell my students my office hours so that they visit me and ask about anything regarding their classes or if they want any advice. It is a good way to see students during office hours to make them feel comfortable with teachers. If any student feels shy for any reason to ask questions in class, s/he can come during office hours and ask the teacher. During office hours, teachers are available for their students.
6) I am going to encourage my students to use the English club in Riyadh Teachers College. It is a small club that contains computers, two VCRs, magazines, books, and a tape recorder. They can watch an English movie, educational movies or listen to an educational tape, or read periodicals or newspapers. This would help my students to learn the English language in a short time.
7) I am going to asses my students needs by asking my self what they need. What details do they want me to explain? Where are their weak points? How their computer proficiency level is. I am going to ensure the congruency between their needs, the course plan, and its materials. I am going to match my students' needs with course strategies, methods, and activities that will facilitate learning in the class environment.
My Computer Assissted Learning Philosophy (CALL)
My Call Teaching Philosophy represents in the following points:
1) I am going to facilitate English language to my students and enhance their abilities to express themselves through the use of technology. How? I will facilitate difficulties they encounter and be the ice breaker instrument in their hands. I will provide them with good reading materials, watch educational movies, or listen to educational tapes that may help reducing their difficulties. I am going to give them the freedom, to some extent, to express themselves and compete with each other inside the classroom. I will encourage my students to communicate with me and with each other through the internet and share our ideas with each other and that would be out class.
2) I will let my students promote their abilities to become independent learners, and teach them how to enhance their weakness points through reading. I believe that one of the best ways to learn English is through reading. During reading process, readers learn new things, new structures, new ideas, and new styles. I am going to encourage my students to become consumers to good new published materials, but if a student cannot afford these materials for some reasons, she/he can read through certain sites in the internet.
3) I am going to tell my students how and where to navigate in the internet. I will explain what the best features of good websites are. Domains are very important to know if the website is trustful or not.
4) I will encourage my students to participate in the class and make sure that every student has a chance to participate. Participation inside class can reveal students' proficiency level. It is like a mirror that reflects teachers' effort with their students inside class. If I notice any weakness point among my students, I will not hesitate to explain the subject again and again to avoid this weakness or enlighten the students about this ambiguity.
5) I am going to give each student in my class a chance to participate and use the computer in order to learn and practice at the same time.
6) I will tell my students my office hours. For me, it is important to tell my students my office hours so that they visit me and ask about anything regarding their classes or if they want any advice. It is a good way to see students during office hours to make them feel comfortable with their teachers. If any student feels shy for any reason to ask in class, s/he can come during office hours and ask the teacher. During office hours, teachers are available for their students.
7) I am going to encourage my students to use the English club in Riyadh Teachers College. It is a small club that contains computers, two videos, magazines, books, and tape recorders. They can watch an English movie, educational movies, or listen to an educational tape, or read periodicals or newspapers. This club is available for English students in Riyadh Teachers College.
8) I am going to asses my students needs through asking my self what do they need? What details do they want me to explain? Where are their weakness points? To what extent their proficiency in computers is. I am going to ensure the congruency between their needs and the course plan and its materials. I am going to match my students' needs with the course strategies, methods, and activities that will facilitate learning in the class environment.