I am beginning to develop my teaching philosophy as I reflect on my experiences as a pre-service teacher. Through my university practicum and studies, I have developed a clearer idea of how I wish to construct my classroom culture, one which manifests my values as a teacher concerning educational theories, practices and concepts.

In terms of my teaching methodologies, I have become increasingly interested in applying “strength-based approaches” to classroom settings as a pedagogical approach that values individual strengths, and capacities through promoting choice and student autonomy. I aim to achieve this by delivering educational experiences for children that imbed their interests and capabilities as individuals while still eliciting an opportunity for meaningful challenge and growth.

Foundationally, I am driven by the student’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) by establishing the point where a student can learn through successful scaffolding and guidance from “the more knowledgeable other” (Vygotsky, 1978, as cited in Churchill, 2018, p. 87). I hope that having a clear understanding of my students through being accountable for their learning could extend my integrity as a teacher to deliver appropriate differentiation as determined by teaching students’ ZPD (Fullan & Hargreaves, 2016).

Additionally, I believe that if I can create a classroom environment utilising Seligman’s Wellbeing theory - PERMA Model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment) (Seligman, 2018) I hope to help students “flourish” (Jayawickreme, Forgeard, & Seligman, 2012, p. 329) in terms of their academics, wellbeing and overall development.

In terms of behaviour management and differentiation, I believe that building relationships with students is the most crucial element. Teachers who emphasize creating connections with their students can have greater classroom control as they are likely to understand the student's unique identity and needs such as their interests, potential behavioural triggers and when and where differentiation is required.

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Figure 2: PERMA Model (Discovery in Action, 2020).