Mok 1

Weslee Mok
Professor Fimbres
Kinesiology 003
9 June 2019

My Teaching Philosophy

Murky clouds blanket the sky and distant rumbles of thunder continued to roll throughout the
day as a warning. The empty classroom fills with sounds of a pen scratching against paper, the
only noise in the otherwise silent space. My eyes flit across the paper under my gaze, a bemused
smirk on my lips as I jot down a few pointers here and there on the essay. I let out a hum when I
read a particularly well-crafted line, feeling the pride rush through my body. Derek had
approached me after school last Tuesday and asked for advice on his paper, but this is so much
more than what I recommended to him. He took the words to heart and applied them in his own
creative way.

I glance over at the growing stack of graded essays and feel a warmth spread through my chest.
He wasn’t the only one who had come to me for advice—Laura, Allison, Chris, and Kyle were
just as eager to get my opinion on their work. It’s no surprise that they all got high marks on their
essays, even if there were little hiccups along the way. These students had bright minds and
personalities; they absorbed the knowledge I provided to them like a sponge. It never fails to put
a smile on my face to see them succeed and take the words I say so seriously. Those five are by
far the most vocal in the class, but that doesn’t mean the rest are outshined by them.

A gentle knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts, and without looking up, I clear my throat
to answer.

“Come in.” After a short pause, the door opens and in steps Blake, a quiet girl with dark eyes and
hair. She shuffles in and closes the door behind her, lifting her head up to give me a shy smile. I
return it with a warm grin of my own and I beckon her over. She nods once and makes small,
timid steps towards my desk.

“Um, professor, I’m sorry for bothering you. Do you mind if I ask you about today’s lecture?”
Blake reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as she stares at me. I put my pen down
and lean back against my chair with a soft sigh.

The class must have been too loud for her to hear me again. I’ll be sure to move her seat closer
to the front tomorrow, then. “Of course, ask away.” I fold my hands over my lap as I watch
Blake take her notebook from the book bag she has slung over her chest. She begins to ask me
 Mok 2

for clarification about the notes she took from earlier and I answer all of them smoothly. That is
until she points out something I didn’t even notice about the subject I was lecturing about. I blink
in surprise at her, and she flusters in response. Almost instantly my lips quirk up into a knowing
grin, and I give her high praise for catching that. She turns bright red and ducks her head away
from me, murmuring her thanks.

She’s definitely one of the students that shines the most brightly amongst everyone, even if she’s
just a little quieter than the others. After she recovers from her flustering, Blake’s smile grows a
little wider as she tucks her notebook back into her bag.

“Thank you, professor. You’re always patient with me even if I don’t talk that much in class.
I’m… really shy and I’m not sure how to speak up, especially against Laura and Derek.” She
shuffles her feet around, a small pout forming on her lips. I shake my head and let out a soft
laugh.

“You don’t have to thank me for anything, Blake. I’m glad I can help you, and trust me, I’m just
as shy as you were when I was a student.” Her eyes widen at my admission, and I raise a brow at
her. “That’s right, you don’t have to be shocked! I was young once too, you know.”

“T-That’s not what I meant! I’m just surprised that you of all people were shy. Your voice
carries through the entire room and it doesn’t shake at all. I can barely order food at a restaurant
without stuttering.” Blake mutters, and I can’t help but giggle at the sullen look on her face.

“Believe me, I was the exact same. It just takes time and patience to overcome the fear, and
you’ll eventually become a natural speaker.” She doesn’t look convinced with my response,
judging from the slight frown on her face. “I know it doesn’t look like it, but I had to go through
a lot in order to achieve the confidence I have today. I actually can’t stand public speaking, but
as a teacher, I have to do it.”

Her disgruntled expression morphs into confusion. “But… why? What’s driving you to do
something that’s so hard to do?”

I stand up and reach out to clap a hand onto her shoulder. She tilts her head with furrowed brows,
and I simply smile back at her.

“I do it for you guys. I want my students to succeed, and more importantly, find their voice at
their own pace. I want you all to grow as human beings and as scholars.”

Her eyes widen again. She must be dying to ask why I would even want to help a bunch of
random students in the first place. But that’s the thing—they are the reason I’m teaching. When I
 Mok 3

was in school, I constantly looked up to my teachers and mentors because I was too shy to talk to
my peers. I didn’t have many friends up until high school, but my teachers made up for that.
They would sit down with me after class and I would ask as many questions as I could. I was
such a curious child, but my teachers never once told me to stop asking. Nothing but joy comes
to mind whenever a student wants to ask for help or advice. That just means they are putting the
effort into their studies and wish to enrich their knowledge. It means the world to me that they
want to approach me, both in and out of class, to help them with that.

That is my teaching philosophy. I want to be a pillar of support for these bright students, whether
it be giving advice or helping them understand the material. I want them to feel comfortable
around me and to enjoy their time in the classroom. My biggest goal is to have these wonderful
kids walk into my class, unaware of their own potential and voice, leave with an understanding
of how incredible they all are in their unique ways. I want the loud ones to embrace their vibrant
personalities, and I want the quiet ones to embrace their own blinding nature. In a classroom
setting, it doesn’t matter about what background, status, gender, age, race, or any kind of
socioeconomic standing they’re in. All that matters to me is how I can create an efficient plan or
curriculum that enriches their knowledge while allowing them to embrace themselves as
individual human beings. A teacher exists to help with a student’s growth into capable adults.

I squeeze Blake’s shoulder before letting go. I take a step back and give her one last smile as I
walk towards the door. I open it for her and tilt my head towards the exit.

“You should get going. I’m sure your reflection from today’s lecture is going to blow my socks
off, just like usual.” She heads towards me with that signature shy smile of hers. I raise a brow at
her when she stops right under the doorway. She turns her head and gives me a blinding smile,
eyes glittering with an emotion I recognize all too well.

“Thank you, professor.” She dashes away, leaving me in the dust. I watch as her silhouette
shrinks down the hall, and a soft smile graces my lips.

“Anytime.”