Nathan Galster

C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E.

 

Communication

Respect

Experience
Assist

Technology/Team member

Improve/Interactive

Voice/Variety

Empower/Engage

 

     I am a creative person and it is one of my guiding principles in life. I use the term and idea both as an adjective and a verb. My creativity defines a large part of who I am. It describes me, my interests and my views and in an equally important way, it relates to the act of creating something, in this case creating learning. As a facilitator of learning, I encourage learners to create the learning together with me. We all (teacher and students) bring our individual creativity to build the learning environment and seek a common goal that is greater than each of us. The ability to effectively build positive and useful learning depends on and is influenced by many factors.

 

Communication

 

     This is the first rule in any of my classes. The lines of communication are open at all times in both directions. I make an effort to clearly and simply communicate my expectations and goals for learning, the environment and the learners. I hope and ask that learners do the same. In every class I encourage learners to ask questions, share ideas and give feedback to me and to each other.

 

Respect

 

     I'm not sure I can even call this the “second” rule in my class, as it is equally as important to me. In fact, I think it is intertwined with my “first” rule (above). I encourage, facilitate and expect an atmosphere of mutual respect among and between myself and the learners. This is not uni- or even bidirectional but omnidirectional. In order for positive learning to occur and for learners and me to be successful, we must foster and demand respect by and for all.

 

 

Experience

 

     Whenever philosophy in education is discussed I usually think of John Dewey. I believe that we are affected by formal and informal learning experiences and all experiences in our life. The things I have learned in life, in this program, at my workplace inevitably have an effect on my future views and actions. “Every experience both takes up something from those which have gone before and modifies in some way the quality of those which come after” (John Dewey, Experience and Education). This certainly applies to learning. I want to create experiences for learners that are productive and positive. Above all I want to instill within learners a desire for lifelong learning. “The most important attitude that can be formed is that of desire to go on learning” (John Dewey, Experience and Education).

Assist

 

     When I first started teaching, as an EFL instructor in Costa Rica, I quickly made a valuable friend and mentor at the school I was working at. One of the many lessons that he taught me early one was that an instructor should be a “guide on the side” rather than a “sage on a stage”. I was never much of an athlete but I did/do enjoy sports. When playing I usually find myself in the role of assisting rather than scoring. As an educator I feel my role is to assist the learner in achieving his/her goal. The glory of the “win” goes to the learner, not the educator.

 

 

Team member/Technology

 

     As stated above, I consider myself a team member in the learning environment, not only and always a team leader. There are times when I play that role but there are times when other actors in the classroom will act as the leader of the learning. I try to facilitate a classroom that is focused on the learner and if not always student directed, at least student regulated as much as possible.

     One resource that I can bring to the team is my use of different types of technology. The means that I use most commonly are related to my creativity and personal interests: music and film/video. I incorporate music as a means for language learning through a variety of activities. I also encourage students to create projects that are outside the box, for example video presentations.

 

 

Improve/Interactive

 

     I view improvement as a basic goal of learning, whether it is through obtaining a skill, an increase in knowledge or improving ones situation in life. As with other aspects of my philosophy, improvement in the learning environment is not one directional. I am seeking improvement in my career, my teaching skills and life in general, just as learners are seeking improvement in some area.

     As stated already, it is important to me that the learning environment is not one directional. Interactions that happen between learners and between myself and learners are opportunities for learning and improvement. I want the learning environment to a fun and interactive place in which each player or actor benefits from the skills, knowledge, experience of every other player or actor, myself included.

 

Variety/Voice

 

     Above all I want learners to find a way to personally connect to the learning material. By utilizing a variety of activities (use of technology is one example) I can ensure that the classroom continues to be an interactive place and that each learner can connect to the learning experience in a way best suited for him/her. Although I do not specifically adapt each and every lesson to cater to individual learning styles, I make a serious effort to offer a variety of exercises and materials to learners so that each can demonstrate and hone his/her own unique style and intelligence.

     As an EFL educator it is important for me to assist learners in finding their voice. Literally this means I hope to help them achieve a higher level of proficiency in the English language in order to express themselves and achieve their goals related to their study of a second language. Although not overtly, I also encourage learners, through discussions and other exposure activities, to find their opinion or take a stand on things that matter to them in their own lives. My hope is that they will find something they are passionate about and take action on it to improve or change something for the better.

 

Empower/Engage

 

     My ultimate goal as an educator is to empower my students to claim the skills and knowledge that will help them improve themselves, their lives or their current situation. “Empowerment , after all, can only be claimed, not given” (Stephen Brookfield, Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults). This could relate to taking action in their own lives, promoting larger social change or something as small as learning a useful bit of information that makes life easier. In order to empower my students I strive to find and explore new and exciting ways to engage them, as well as utilizing tried and proven methods that promote success.