Introduction

TPI : Taking the TPI has given me a great opportunity to reflect on what I believe, feel and do in regards teaching and learning. I intend on using it again in a few months to assess if my TPI will reflect the Teaching Philosophy that I will be developing later in my teaching profession by using modern teaching strategies and pedagogies. According to Collins & Pratt (2011) states that, “TPI should be used as a discussion tool to promote reflection, discussion, clarification, and most important , respect for the intellectual, relational, moral and cultural aspects that are essential to understanding what it means “to teach””(p. 360). In addition, my teaching philosophy also discuss how I put my theories into practice by including illustrations of knowledge, skills, character traits and relationship I teach in the classroom. I believe that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. According to Montessori, ‘The intelligence of the hand’ is directly connected to the ‘mental life’, thus a study of a child’s psychological development is bound with the hands’ movement which is encouraged by the brain (O’Donnell, 2013). I agree with this statement thus to make learning easier I believe in hands-on learning experiences and freedom of learning by using activity-based teaching and using modern technology make it more interesting to achieve my desired learning outcomes.

Flipped Classrooms: Flipped classrooms allows class time be used to master skills through collaborative projects and discussions. It has many pros and cons as well. This encourages students to teach and learn concepts from each other with the guidance of their teachers. By allowing students to learn as per their own pace, they are able to own the knowledge they achieve, which in turn builds confidence. By making video lectures available at all times online, students who are forced to miss class due to illness, sports, vacations or emergencies, can catch up quickly. This also gives teachers more flexibility when they themselves are sick and also eliminates make-up assignments. It also help to make the learning more creative and interesting. One of the most prominent issues is the necessity for students to have access to a computer and Internet in order to view the lectures. This is particularly hard on students from low-income districts who already have limited access to resources such as rural areas. Additionally, there is a concern that implementing a flipped classroom adds an extra workload on teachers, as there are several elements that must be integrated carefully to allow the class to flourish. Despite these issues, the flipped classroom can still a very effective, hands-on approach to improving student achievement and involving them in their own education.

Reference

Collins, J. B. & Pratt, D. D. (2010). The teaching perspectives inventory at 10 years and 100,000 respondents: Reliability and validity of a teacher self-report inventory. Adult Education Quarterly, 64(4), 358-375.

O’Donnell, M. (2013). Montessori and the first children’s house. Maria Montessori: A critical introduction to key themes and debates. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com