Teaching is the noblest profession.

     An aphorism entails the teacher providing knowledge to students and inspiring them to attain higher achievements in life. To achieve this, one must undergo practice teaching.

     Practice teaching is a significant part of becoming a teacher. It exposes student teachers to the actual teaching and learning environment. A student-teacher is allowed to practice the art of teaching, pedagogies, and principles during teaching practice before entering the real world of the teaching profession. It also provides a genuine interface between studenthood and professional membership. It is also a good avenue for development and improvement, preparing student teachers to be effective and competent future educators in their chosen careers.

     As my journey continues in becoming a teacher, there is a shift from the traditional mode of learning to virtual classes and now, back to face-to-face classes. This is the first year of implementing full face-to-face classes since the pandemic has begun. As a pre-service teacher, my experience has been challenging, from lesson planning and delivery to dealing with student behavior. It took a lot of patience, hard work, creativity, and passion on my part to ensure that the instructional process was conducive and effective for students learning, as well as to deal with several issues that arose while facilitating learning inside the classroom.

     Teaching comes with a great deal of responsibility and duty to students. Teachers not only teach and impart knowledge, but they also inspire and motivate students to take important steps in life. Due to this, teachers must keep in mind their teaching philosophy to continue to work to instill confidence in students and guide them in the right direction.

     Learning is a two-way process in which the teacher can learn from the students and vice versa. As a teacher, I know that learning is most effective when it is cooperative and collaborative, allowing students to learn from one another and become more actively engaged in their learning. I must provide students with hands-on activities, as well as enough space and time to reinforce the lesson. They must be involved in their education and have a say in what they learn, how they learn, and demonstrate that learning to learn. As I teach, I intend to consider my students' interests and learning styles, as well as provide them with multiple ways to demonstrate their learning.

     I believe that learning is a lifelong process that occurs at all times and never stops. Education extends far beyond the classroom walls and involves many more people than students and teachers. I must go beyond imparting general knowledge and develop reasoning and critical thinking skills for my students. I understand each student's learning needs because each student is unique and education is diverse. I must include teaching strategies that will be beneficial for all my students to create a fun learning environment that encourages sharing of ideas to meet their needs.

     Furthermore, I believe that a good teacher cannot begin or continue to inspire learning unless they are themselves, learners. I must constantly learn about new developments in the discipline. A good teacher frequently contributes to the creation of new knowledge. To live this belief, I must evaluate my teaching methods and seek out new ones. To stay connected to my students, their lives, and the schools where they will practice their professions, I must remain a student of society and the ever-changing worlds in which they live.

     As I take this path, I keep my teaching philosophy in mind so that it can guide me in becoming an effective teacher who touches the heart and lives of the students.