Beliefs on Teaching and Learning (Pre and Post)

Right before our observation, I have seen a lot of different teaching styles starting from elementary up to my college days. I have observed that teachers back then were the type of teachers who incorporated visual aids in which they let their students copy everything from the first Manila Paper up to the last. They seemed to conclude that all students are visual learners. They also made use of the entire textbook and based their lessons on the content of the book. And from there, they let the students read it all and then after which, they will have an oral recitation wherein students will share their understanding, learnings, and takeaways. Teachers also let the students memorize various concepts, formulas, and let them reproduce information without necessarily understanding its meaning and context. A direct instruction was also practiced back then in which the teacher delivers the instruction in a step-to-step manner so that the students will clearly understand the certain paper and pencil activities. Traditional ways of teaching were very teacher-centered. The teacher is the figure and the authority in which they control the flow of information and direct all classroom activities. Perennialism teaching philosophy is what they apply mostly in their classes. I thought back then that that was the best teaching style that we will have and up until now, some teachers are still using it. Not until education has evolved in the 21st century.

After the observation, I have developed this belief that teaching and learning go along together, hand in hand. And that without the other, students will not gain knowledge and will not achieve their possible full potential. I always admire that effective teaching involves creating an engaging and inclusive learning environment where students feel motivated, supported, and heard. I believe that learning is not just about acquiring information but also about developing the students’ critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a lifelong love for learning. As for the teachers, I always knew that they play a crucial role in guiding and facilitating the learning process and classroom management in order for it to be inclusive enough for the students.

Teachers should also be knowledgeable enough about their subject matter and skilled enough to make and teach various instructional materials and strategies to accommodate different learning styles and abilities. A teacher should strive to create a positive classroom atmosphere that encourages collaboration, respect, and open communication among students. When the pandemic striked, a new concept of teaching was introduced, and that was online learning. Perhaps, it wasn’t new for others because it emerged sometime in the 2000s, but it was then fully utilized during the high peak of the pandemic. And due to the insisted public demand, in which critical courses such as medical courses need to be infused with the traditional faceto-face classes to better train them. And blended learning was born to adjust the educational needs of the students. These new styles of learning are clearly leaning towards being student-centered for its teaching philosophy emphasizes the active involvement of the students in their own learning, rather than a passive role of receiving information from the teacher. When it comes to the student-centered classroom, students are the main character as they explore, discover, and construct their knowledge. In addition, their main focus as well is on creating a learning environment that encourages student engagement, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and self-reflection. So far, when it comes to my expectations and actual experiences, I could say that some teaching styles are what I have foreseen already right before we observed classes. And I could also say that traditional learning will never die because it's much simpler than the complexity of the new emerging learning styles that we, millennials, are abruptly adapting.