As I approached the end of my two-year education program, I have thought about what my idea of education was and what my reasons were for entering the program. Upon reflection, I realised howmuch I had changed as a Transforming Practitioner. My outlook on teachers, classrooms, assessments, and the curriculum has changed. Winston Churchill once said, "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." which I truly believe. Coming from the banking profession for over ten years, my initial motivation to be a teacher was for the extrinsic rewards, but now I must admit that the intrinsic aspect of teaching is much more rewarding in my opinion. As I begin my final reflection about my teaching philosophy as a transforming teacher/educator, I am reminded of one of my favourite quotes by NelsonMandela, which says, "Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world." My idea of a "Transforming Practitioner" has changed over the course of my education at Mercer University. I have learned so much about education and how to be an effective teacher. I believe that all students can reach their full potential in education and in life, regardless of any obstacles. “As teachers, how can we prepare students to succeed in this competitive environment we have today?" To achieve this goal, it is important to know the role of the student, teacher, curriculum, and environment and their impact on students' learning. I have learned that the role of a student entails various things. Students play an important role in the development of society and the world we live in, and instilling positive values in students will benefit society greatly. Their first role is to study and develop the information given to them into lifelong lessons that will lead them to become significant contributors in the future. Students should not be spectators in their classrooms, but should be active participants in their education. I come from a family of teachers. My grandmother, grandfather, aunties, and cousins are all teachers. I always saw them as disciplinarians, but it was not until I started my education programme that my idea of the role of a teacher changed. During my three field experiences, I worked with three teachers with three distinct teaching styles, but one thing they all had in common was their passion to teach. The role of a teacher is to be a source of information for students to construct knowledge and to promote their individual uniqueness. The old concept of teachers giving lectures while students sit and listen is obsolete. I believe that an effective teacher is one who involves all students in the learning process, welcomes students' opinions, embraces unique differences, and creates a fun and inviting environment where all students will achieve their full potential in education. Appropriate structure and planning are required in order to be successful in all aspects of life. The curriculum plays an important role in schools. The curriculum is put in place to provide a structured platformwhere every student has the same opportunity to achieve his or her goals. An effective curriculum allows teachers to provide an educational programme rich with great ideas and strategies. A curriculum provides teachers with the opportunity to assess students’ progress and the certainty that they have provided essential knowledge for all students to succeed in life. I believe that a student is a product of the environment or community in which they live. The environment is very influential in students' learning and growth. As a teacher, I will strive to create a learning community where every student is interested and involved in the learning process. It is important that we create a learning culture where each member wants every member to succeed. To ensure a well-balanced environment, educators should encourage parental involvement in schools and set high expectations for students and parents. I believe teachers should create a learning community where students respect each other and every child feels free to voice their opinion as well as establish new ideas to provide continuous learning and growth. As I continue my professional development, there are many areas in education that I will aim at improving to make me an effective teacher. One of my biggest "ah ha" moments during this course was learning about how assessments are used in schools. Using tests as a general form of assessments is just a snapshot of the extent of the student’s intelligence. I always thought taking one big test at the end of a lesson was a great way to assess students. Rick Stiggins' article, "Assessment Through Students' Eyes," focused on how assessments are used and addressed in 21st-century education in the United States. Assessments, I discovered, should be used as a learning tool to enhance cognitive learning rather than simply to authenticate learning. In my previous reflections, I highlighted that classroom management is another area of education where I aspire to improve upon. This is one aspect that, in my opinion, is vital in order to succeed as a teacher. Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a classroom that is poorly managed. A well-managed classroom creates an environment where all students can learn and flourish. During my field experiences, I observed many forms of student management, which, I must admit, were a bit at odds with what I had learned during this program. I would Adjoa Obimpeh, Student Teacher, 2013 E x c e r p t My Philosophy on Education 38
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