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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
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My primary goal as a teacher is to serve the students and families in the area and community in which I live. This desire to be involved in the educational landscape which surrounds me is rooted in my own experiences as a student from modeling by the school teachers and professors encountered throughout my life, and is now solidified by the colleagues and students with which I currently work.
On a more granular level, my goals are to offer lessons and experiences to my students that will support their formation into full citizens and develop the skills necessary to be thoughtful, intentional, and competent communicators. More so now than ever before in my lifetime, I see an American cultural landscape in which the ability to speak truthfully and thoughtfully has escaped many of us. The ability, even the desire, to listen to others with earnest curiosity and compassion has been diminished. We have seemingly entered into an age in which, as author Chris Hedges frames it, “the end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle” has come to fruition. I simply hope to aid in the formation of critical thinkers who desire to move their world forward in a positive way, and not become agents of chaos in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.
In my practice, I have leaned greatly on the constructivist theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, believing that students learn best through authentic real world experiences, active engagement, and problem solving exercises, creating through collaboration with others while building their own knowledge. It is in these moments when students are challenged in their own thinking, when they are able to consider viewpoints other than their own, that they are able to learn.
I also believe that all students have the potential to learn. Students as individuals will process information they receive and learn through activities and inquiry based projects in their own way. Engaging and interactive lessons are important, though a certain level of rigor is also necessary to build strong study and work habits. Ultimately, instruction is driven by the learning goal. We then assess in a variety of ways to ensure that those goals have been met. Both formative and summative assessments are required in formal and informal modes. I then rely on gathered data to inform next steps, whether they are ready to move on to the next concept or reteach until students can show mastery. The principles of equity and student voice are paramount when designing and implementing instruction, materials, and tools.
Just as data informs instruction, it also drives my approach to classroom management. Understanding each child and their individual challenges and affordances as well as the structures and dynamics of the whole class aides in decision making. A combination of student centered and district mandated expectations also guides my management style.​
Specific tools and techniques are used regularly, but ultimately a positive relationship with students helps build mutual trust and respect which is reflected in desired behavior outcomes. I use a quarterly class check-in which allows students to offer me unfiltered feedback. I then assess it and return to them with a whole class discussion covering topics which address any concerns, common or individual, to improve the quality of our classroom and heighten student status.
Another way to elevate students is to provide them with the opportunities to self assess. My goal is to offer at least one pre and post self assessment per unit or main area of study. This leads to what many students lack, ownership of their own learning. The more students are allowed to reflect on their choices, actions, and accomplishments, the more locus of control they’ll potentially have. This puts me into more of a facilitation role, but one in which I too can be more reflective on my practice instead of the constant maintenance of student activity.
Teaching matters to me because school is such an important part of formation for our citizenry. We spend the bulk of our formative years in and around school. I became a teacher because I wanted to more fully contribute to the world. Even though I wasn’t always considered a “good'' student, I loved being in school, at school, learning, seeing my friends, and interacting with people outside of my own family group. I teach because I love it. I love it because there aren’t many things better than watching people learn. It is a fascinating and transformative endeavor.