I was an assistant professor in the subject of mathematics and I have an experience of 9 years. During my experience, I have seen many ups and downs. To enhance my teaching practice when I came to New Zealand then I came to know that why my teaching practice was not productive after so many efforts. Although I was thinking that I have done every possible effort to teach my adult learners but during my study of postgraduate diploma in applied professional studies- adult teaching, I have realized that some important thing was missing in my practice and that was my teaching philosophy. I had never thought about what are the values and beliefs underlying my practice. In fact, I had followed my tutor ’s way of teaching without taking any thought about what should be excluded or included from their teaching practice. Now I have a realization that teaching philosophy is very essential to be a successful educator. From my previous experience and study of adult teaching, I believe that teaching philosophy is the mirror which reflects the teaching practice, and this consist aspect which a teacher considers in his / her teaching practice. Teaching philosophy can be different from one person to another, but the aim of the teaching is to achieve education goal which will lead the learner in their future and they will able to utilize their knowledge, skills, and experience in their real life as well as in the field of their interest.
According to me, teaching philosophy is a personal manifesto of achieving goals and passion as an educator, clear vision of methods which will be used to meet goals, how educator plan to evaluate or assess learners’ understanding, how educator will improve, adapt teaching methods as well as teaching practice. As an educator of adult learners, my teaching philosophy is to develop a positive relationship with learners, selection of appropriate teaching approaches and methods, use of technology in learning, respect the individuality of learners and last but not least well-defined assessment methods to the users understanding of learners.
I strongly believe that a positive relationship between teacher and students can do wonder in the teaching-learning process. If I click the rewind button of my memory related to my experience in my home country, I am realizing that my relationship with learners was not healthy and positive. In fact, I was not a tutor with whom students can talk out of the concept. The learner could only approach me to get guidance related to the content. I had always built a distance from the students because in my home country gap between student and teacher is a symbol of respect. Also, I have learned it from my tutor. I was thinking that gap would increase respect but instead of respect, it increased fear to talk even for small things. however, when I came to New Zealand, the teacher are very friendly and approachable not for the content related problems but also guide the learners in other issues such as enrollment process as a learning advisor and provide suggestions for personal problems also. I vividly remember, I knew the name only those students who respond in the class and encourage those students in the class. At that time I was thinking that remaining students ware not taking an interest was of their problem. I had never thought about a sense of equality. Moreover, I had provided less chance or some time no chance to express their views or participation in the class.
