I have become whom I dreamt to become as a child. I’m a lamplighter who illuminates the minds of learners, believing that every child is unique and particularly significant. My teaching philosophy statement is developed along with the exposure that I have received as a novice ESL teacher during the online teaching practicum which was held for one month.

Students are the sailors of their own educational voyage and I pursue to empower them, understanding their particular skills and competencies. I gain insight in to their learning needs in order to build a healthy, supportive and positive learning environment in which they can grow and learn. I believe self-directed learning molds engaged citizens who are capable of solving problems, discovery and knowledge generation leading to individual fulfillment. Hadley (1993), wrote that this continuous struggle to understand, clarify and articulate one’s beliefs and practices is at the very heart of being a teacher.

As an ESL teacher, I position myself as a coach and a co-learner. I believe that students learn skills best through an interactive teaching style for it calls for sharpening students’ skills and abilities. According to Vygotsky (1978), meaningful social interaction of a child with a skillful tutor leads to effective learning. My relationship with the learners is always made a priority so I model the behaviors that I wish to notice in my learners through good communication and genuine interest in understanding others’ perspectives. This collaborative dialogue enables the learners internalize the information and to regulate their own performances.

Cook (2013), writes that to serve the unique needs of actual students, the teacher needs to do whatever is necessary, not just which is scientifically proven and based on abstract theory. Learners cannot be compared. I admit the fact that when it comes to ESL learning, each student owns a dominant skill. I have implemented eclectic approach in situations where I cannot adopt a single method because I want each my students to realize their value as a positive human. I value camaraderie and supportiveness in my classroom. By maintaining low affective filters, it allows comprehensible input (Krashen, 1982) to be transformed as acquired language. I strive hard to create a friendly, secure and non-threatening learning environment for my learners.

I’m a less-directive teacher where the students have to shift from their traditional roles as passive learners to more involved participants. Positive feedback, appreciation or just a simple smile can generate positive reinforcement (Johnson, 2014) that results in motivation and encouragement in learners. Vygotsky (1978), in relation with the zone of proximal development (ZPD) explains how different individuals complete their tasks with the support given by a skilled partner. When completing the pair/group tasks, I expect some students to learn from these more knowledgeable others (MKO).

Virtual learning travel far beyond traditional textbooks. I’m capable of producing effective communication through zoom as its technological efficiency allows me to deliver the lessons quickly, use visual prompts, video-clips, pdfs and audios recorded by myself.

“Go beyond the given”