What Makes a Good Teacher? My Philosophy in Practice
What Makes a Good Teacher? My Philosophy in Practice One of the most important lessons I’ve learned on the PCET course is that planning is not just a preparatory task, it’s a core part of creating engaging, inclusive learning experiences. Early on, I underestimated the importance of planning. I believed that if I knew my subject well enough, I could just rely on that knowledge in the moment. However, through teaching practice and reflection, I’ve come to understand that learner engagement must be designed into a session deliberately and thoughtfully. My approach to planning has been shaped by constructivist theories, particularly the work of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Piaget ( 2005) emphasised that learners build knowledge through active experience, and that teaching must consider the learner’s stage of development. This helped me realise that simply presenting information isn’t enough, I need to create activities where learners interact with content in meaningful ways. Similarly, V...