I believe that teachers play a vital role in building a stronger community. A teacher needs to understand the best teaching practices to ensure that students are learning content and growing into responsible members of society. It is important for a teacher to create a safe learning space in the classroom and in the school to foster a positive learning environment. I feel that an effective teacher should embrace the community around the school and encourage students to bring their values, culture, and knowledge into the classroom. As a teacher I must help build a stronger community for my students as well as model for my students how to collaborate to create a positive community around them.
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My main goal as a social studies teacher is to guide students to think critically about the world around them. To equip my students with the skills to become 21st century critical thinkers, I must encourage students to empathize and understand other perspectives. It is important to guide students to think about issues that are greater than themselves and help students think about solutions to improve their school, community, nation, and the world. It can be difficult for students to understand and care about history if they only see it from the superficial level of dates and achievements of far removed people. Students may find it hard to relate to history since the world that they live in may seem completely different than the historical world they are studying. However, when students are guided to make personal connections to the content, think about other perspectives, and create their own inquiry they can discover that the history content learned in class is not so different to the current problems, people, and events that we see today. Social studies engage students to understand how social issues developed and why they have developed to look the way they do today. As a social studies teacher, I should not only present different perspectives to drive student critical thinking and discussion, but also allow students to bring in their personal experiences and interests to create connect the content to the community in which students interact with.
As a teacher I must teach students the 21st century critical thinking skills necessary to be successful in today’s rapidly changing world. I believe that the proper use of technology in the classroom can facilitate student development of their 21st century skills. Technology can help build a stronger community for students. Educational technology can allow students greater access to information and can create different experiences to help students find the answers to fulfill their inquiry. It can facilitate the sharing of ideas and knowledge with each other as well as with their community. Technology can also fulfill the many needs students may have. It provides a way for students to be successful in showing their work and their understanding. Technology can be a tool that assists students in connecting with different perspectives. It can also provide them with a way to be able to develop, connect, and share their understanding of the world.
I find it highly rewarding when students express their thoughts, connections, and interest in the content that they study. An educator must guide students to become lifelong learners and drive their own learning as well as inquire about the world they live in. I will set the example of being a lifelong learner by continuing to develop my pedagogy to ensure that I am using the best teaching practices. By always learning, adapting, and developing my skills and knowledge as a teacher, I will be able to continue along the path of building a stronger community that will support my students in becoming well informed citizens of the world.
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