"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
-William Butler YeatsLIGHTING A FIRE
A Teaching Philosophy
As an educator, my teaching philosophy is most influenced by Paulo Freire’s principles of critical pedagogy. Freire’s vision of education as a practice of freedom guides my approach to the classroom and defines my role as a teacher. I believe that all teachers should empower students to question, critique, and act upon the world they inhabit.
A World of Languages
Central to my pedagogy is the consideration of language as both a means of communication and a fundamental tool of cognition. From a socio-cultural perspective, language does not stand alone. Languages shape how we think, perceive, and make sense of the world. Drawing from Freire’s notion of conscientização (critical consciousness), I encourage students to use the language to reflect on their lived experiences and socio-economic realities. Knowledge is actively constructed by learners, shaped by culture and social interaction, so our classrooms must tap into the cultural and social realities that students are immersed in. As a teacher, I strive to present classes that make language learning relevant and empowering, fostering collaboration and collaborative inquiry.
Teaching and Learning
Considering students as active agents in their learning is rooted in constructivist theories that influence my teaching philosophy. As a teacher, I aim to position students not as objects of instruction, but as subjects of their own education. In my classes, I embrace a dialogic and participatory approach where knowledge is co-constructed through meaningful interactions between students and teachers.
The Role of a Teacher
I see my role as an SLA teacher as that of a facilitator, curator, and advocate.
As facilitators, the main role of language teachers must enhance language development. I believe language development is deeply social. The learning projects I present to my students are culturally and linguistically responsive. As facilitators, it is crucial to tap into students’ funds of knowledge and creative expression.
My teacher role as a curator consists in designing learning experiences that connect students’ existing knowledge and new content, between academics and the real-world, and between students’ lived experiences and the curriculum. Drawing from García and Kleyn’s (2016) work on translanguaging, I encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoires to engage with new material, treating multilingualism as an asset rather than a deficit.
Finally, as an advocate, my goal is to help cultivate critical, compassionate, and multilingual learners. My teaching pedagogy centers students’ needs and wellbeing. Teachers must be responsive to students’ well-being and be cognizant of linguistic, social, and affective factors, and their effects on development. By supporting students’ unique strengths and addressing their interests, we can create learning opportunities to not just master new vocabulary and grammar, but also to build confidence, cultural identity, and social connections.
