Democracy in learning
Introduction
My multi-cultural background which includes an American mother, a Turkish father, being born and raised in
Brussels, Belgium and living in Hawaii for just over 7 years seems to have predestined me to become a language
teacher. Languages are full of emotions, excitements, knowledge and power to share with each and everyone. To
become a language teacher is to enjoy those feelings with others everyday. But teaching presents challenges,
choices and decisions in regards to methodologies, content, speed and classroom management to reach higher
goals every year for the better of the students. My belief in how to attain these goals lies in my principles
described in the next few paragraphs.
Awareness and Sharing
A classroom is a democracy, not a dictatorship. My philosophy of teaching is guided by the awareness of the
importance of student engagement, student comfort and student progress. It is not about taking over a classroom,
it is about sharing it. I have always believed that becoming a teacher meant to encourage, uplift, educate and
entertain the students in order to give them the opportunity at a better life.
Respect and Classroom Freedoms
People, and students in particular, respond better to respect than orders, to encouragements rather than
criticisms, and to inspiration not disappointments. A teacher must be respectful, encouraging and inspirational. I
have always believed in those qualities to be essential to the learning process of each person in each classroom in
each country around the world, and here at home. A classroom is a place of many freedoms: freedom of thought,
freedom of mistakes, freedom of creativity, and freedom of improvements. It is up to me, the teacher, to create the
atmosphere of a better learning environment. But my experiences as a teacher have also taught me to cultivate an
awareness of my surroundings, a respect for ideas other than my own, an empathy for values and beliefs I might
not agree with but ultimately will consider for the benefit and future of my students and their family.
How to Approach language
There are many ways to approach language learning, language teaching and language sharing. There is a
practical side which includes the location of the teaching lessons and the materials at the teacher’s or tutor’s
disposal. There is an emotional side which comprises of student’s individual motivation, needs and goals and there
is a theoretical/linguistic side which is embraced by approaching language learning/teaching as it relates to an
awareness of the power and strength of language, its implications and related ideologies. But at the end of each
teaching day, behind all the theories, behind all the metalinguistic awareness, and behind all the creative
intellectual debates about the numerous methodologies, it is about one man/one woman energized by standing in
front of a class to share, to give and to teach a new language for the students to communicate ideas, emotions,
traditions and cultures. It is not a case of me/us versus him/her/them but an instance of me/us with him/her/them.
Experience and questions
As one of my recent experiences as an intern EFL teacher/tutor in Vietnam developed, many ideas converged
in my head in regards to the right way to approach the topic of language teaching in Vietnam and elsewhere. Each
day brought me new challenges, new attempts and new discoveries to the ways I approached or should approach
language teaching. At times I felt like a robot designed just to give answers to questions, enumerate rules or
exceptions, or communicate a particular agenda of language. At other moments, I became aware of a special
connection between the students and me based on mutual patience, care and understanding.
Responsibility
However, with my right to teach comes my responsibility of progress in the students ‘communication
abilities, vocabulary knowledge, correct grammar use and phrasing of ideas, personal or political. My role as a
teacher is to inform not to impose, it is to inspire not to impress and it is to interpret the needs of the students not
just to instruct the students of rules of grammar and vocabulary.
Look to the future
Those issues and many others will constantly need to be revisited, reviewed and reconsidered. But, as I stand
in front of future classrooms each day my main concern will always be the students, what I can and should do for
them, and how I should help them learn. Let’s get the students learning.
My multi-cultural background which includes an American mother, a Turkish father, being born and raised in
Brussels, Belgium and living in Hawaii for just over 7 years seems to have predestined me to become a language
teacher. Languages are full of emotions, excitements, knowledge and power to share with each and everyone. To
become a language teacher is to enjoy those feelings with others everyday. But teaching presents challenges,
choices and decisions in regards to methodologies, content, speed and classroom management to reach higher
goals every year for the better of the students. My belief in how to attain these goals lies in my principles
described in the next few paragraphs.
Awareness and Sharing
A classroom is a democracy, not a dictatorship. My philosophy of teaching is guided by the awareness of the
importance of student engagement, student comfort and student progress. It is not about taking over a classroom,
it is about sharing it. I have always believed that becoming a teacher meant to encourage, uplift, educate and
entertain the students in order to give them the opportunity at a better life.
Respect and Classroom Freedoms
People, and students in particular, respond better to respect than orders, to encouragements rather than
criticisms, and to inspiration not disappointments. A teacher must be respectful, encouraging and inspirational. I
have always believed in those qualities to be essential to the learning process of each person in each classroom in
each country around the world, and here at home. A classroom is a place of many freedoms: freedom of thought,
freedom of mistakes, freedom of creativity, and freedom of improvements. It is up to me, the teacher, to create the
atmosphere of a better learning environment. But my experiences as a teacher have also taught me to cultivate an
awareness of my surroundings, a respect for ideas other than my own, an empathy for values and beliefs I might
not agree with but ultimately will consider for the benefit and future of my students and their family.
How to Approach language
There are many ways to approach language learning, language teaching and language sharing. There is a
practical side which includes the location of the teaching lessons and the materials at the teacher’s or tutor’s
disposal. There is an emotional side which comprises of student’s individual motivation, needs and goals and there
is a theoretical/linguistic side which is embraced by approaching language learning/teaching as it relates to an
awareness of the power and strength of language, its implications and related ideologies. But at the end of each
teaching day, behind all the theories, behind all the metalinguistic awareness, and behind all the creative
intellectual debates about the numerous methodologies, it is about one man/one woman energized by standing in
front of a class to share, to give and to teach a new language for the students to communicate ideas, emotions,
traditions and cultures. It is not a case of me/us versus him/her/them but an instance of me/us with him/her/them.
Experience and questions
As one of my recent experiences as an intern EFL teacher/tutor in Vietnam developed, many ideas converged
in my head in regards to the right way to approach the topic of language teaching in Vietnam and elsewhere. Each
day brought me new challenges, new attempts and new discoveries to the ways I approached or should approach
language teaching. At times I felt like a robot designed just to give answers to questions, enumerate rules or
exceptions, or communicate a particular agenda of language. At other moments, I became aware of a special
connection between the students and me based on mutual patience, care and understanding.
Responsibility
However, with my right to teach comes my responsibility of progress in the students ‘communication
abilities, vocabulary knowledge, correct grammar use and phrasing of ideas, personal or political. My role as a
teacher is to inform not to impose, it is to inspire not to impress and it is to interpret the needs of the students not
just to instruct the students of rules of grammar and vocabulary.
Look to the future
Those issues and many others will constantly need to be revisited, reviewed and reconsidered. But, as I stand
in front of future classrooms each day my main concern will always be the students, what I can and should do for
them, and how I should help them learn. Let’s get the students learning.