Teaching Philosophy Statement My teaching philosophy has developed through many years of teaching experience. I believe all students can learn and show growth, even students with special needs. I teach in a classroom designated for slow learners, many of which have cognitive impairments. My students may not learn in the same way as others or as much as other students, but they can learn and should be given that opportunity. I believe education is one of the most important tools a person can have in life. Every student deserves the best possible education, irrespective of needs and abilities. All students have gifts and talents as part of themselves. I believe that anyone working with a special needs student has the responsibility to identify those gifts that often go unnoticed. People too often focus on the deficiencies of students with special needs. I feel more attention should be focused on their talents and gifts, because they do have …show more content…
My first goal is for the students in my classroom to show growth in reading. My students struggle with basic reading, fluency and comprehension. I have non-readers, beginning readers and more advanced readers in my classroom. They need to be able to read in order to make it anywhere in the world. I individualize instruction and teach students where they are at and the skills they need. I try to move them forward one step at a time. I measure this through reading inventories, observation and in-class testing. If I have a sixth grade student who reads at the beginning first grade level, she’s not going to read at a grade level in a year’s time. But if I can help her read at an ending 2nd grade level- that’s growth! That’s learning! We celebrate the gains no matter how big or