Module Five - Teaching philosophy

While I was exploring this module, and thinking about the words that best describe my teaching philosophy, I kept coming back to the concept of teaching and learning, how the two are intertwined and how you can be both the teacher and the learner at the same time. Pere (1991) in Te Wheke describes four dimensions that contribute to a person's health and well-being, Ako is one of these dimensions;
'The concept of Ako, which relates to the traditional Māori thinking about the transfer and absorption of skills, knowledge, wisdom, experience, much of which has traditionally occurred in the course of everyday activities. It implies learn and instruct at the same time.'
I feel it is at the heart of my values and beliefs, and see myself ;

• Teaching and learning from my students
• Learning in teaching as I teach
• Learning from other teachers through observation and communication

I considered the four key areas for developing my own teaching philosophy as developed by Heather Day;

• Focus - Ako Tuakana/Teina
• Reflection - Learning from others
• Action - Creating relationships
• Rationale - intrinsic belief in reciprocating the flow of knowledge from one individual to another

'Tuakana/teina refers to the relationship between an older (tuakana) person and a younger (teina) person and is specific to teaching and learning in the Māori context. Within teaching and learning contexts, this can take a variety of forms:

• Peer to peer – teina teaches teina, tuakana teaches tuakana.
• Younger to older – the teina has some skills in an area that the tuakana does not and is able to teach the tuakana.
• Older to younger – the tuakana has the knowledge and content to pass on to the teina.
• Able to less able – the learner may not be as able in an area, and someone more skilled can teach what is required.' (Turuki,2013)

These thoughts will form the basis of my teaching philosophy assessment as I ponder in depth my beliefs and values around how, what and why I teach.

References;

Retrieved 27 May from; http://wikieducator.org/Matauranga_Maori

Retrieved June 6 from ; http://wikieducator.org/Learner_Centred_Learning/LCL_Teaching_Philosophy_Module
Heather Day, Educational Development Centre , Otago Polytechnic

Retrieved 6 June from; http://www.turuki.org.nz/tuakana_teina/index.htm