"Philosophy of Teaching

Students are the main stakeholders in education. As instructors, we are accountable first and foremost to our students. We are also accountable to the standards set by our school, district, state and the federal government. It is our obligation to mediate the understanding of these standards to prepare our students for any evaluation in assessing their development. These standards must be flexible in allowing all students to not only meet but exceed at mastering these skills. This is considered the bare minimum in education. It is our responsibility to strive for positive continuous growth in our students by promoting and providing standards that act as a scaffold where the learner is encouraged to develop in to their own unique knowledge seeker.

Continuous growth in our students is not enough. In being accountable to our students, one must also accept our own continuous growth as educators. We must take the charge by staying current on the leading issues and research in education to bring our students the ‘cutting edge’ in our instruction. Technology has allowed educators to communicate, share ideas, research and information across the globe. Collaboration must be on the global level but always starts with our peers in our immediate surrounding. Modeling our actions as effective educators, we ultimately teach our students the ‘unwritten’ rules of being a part of a democratic society.

I believe any classroom must have the pillars of respect, responsibility, equity and equality to guide the development of our pupils. It is our duty to create an environment that is safe for all members of the classroom community to express themselves without fear of judgment or reprisal. We must ask students to act as individuals but instill the belief of membership to the community. Our mission is to empower our students in making classroom decisions so they feel invested in their own education. Cooperation between students is essential and lessons should illustrate the power of working together. This cooperation extends beyond the classroom and must involve all members of the community.

Community involvement and parental cooperation in education is essential to any proactive learning environment.

Students should be allowed to examine issues, from a critical perspective, that shape their immediate surroundings. We must involve our students in going beyond the gates of the school to demonstrate the power of collaboration that includes other members of society. Outreach programs require the involvement of government officials, local businesses, the elderly, community service programs and assisting in fund raising for causes that are close to our students’ hearts. Parents must also be encouraged to assist their learner in this process. They can demonstrate their own abilities as members of our society and our students can learn from their collective experiences. Communication between schools and parents is also essential in the creation of life long learners.

To instill the belief of life long learning in our students requires us to strive for excellence in every lesson. We have the duty to accommodate all of our students’ different learning styles and preferences but we must also encourage them to work outside of their own safety zones. Our students come to school with many different backgrounds, experiences and abilities. Some students struggle with the English language, some face the immense challenge of having a disability and others have emotional problems. It is essential to understand our students and build meaningful connections with all of our pupils to assure them we will always be here to help, provide a shoulder to cry on or just listen to their thoughts and feelings.

Teaching has evolved in to something that is very complex in nature. Students are ever advancing, communities are always changing, family structures have been redefined, the world keeps transforming by the second and we must reflect these realities. As teachers we can only help students conceptualize the world and understand its complexities. After our students move on, they must rest assured that we will always be here, waiting to hear of their success and relish in the fact that we were instrumental in their development." less...