My Educational Philosophy Statement

     I truly believe and know for a fact that the children in our classrooms are our future. They will be the ones to explore and discover the world after we have; to find the things we overlooked and to invent the things we couldn’t dream of. I want them to provide for them the knowledge and skills to be able to explore their world to the best of their ability. I believe each and every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the classroom and to the world. I will strive to help children develop their potential by believing in them as capable individuals and by creating for them a community of learners as well as a safe learning environment. I will assist children in discovering who they are, so they can express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas. I have a mission to make the world a place where people learn to respect, accept, and embrace the differences between us and help one another to keep progressing.

     Every classroom presents a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in learning styles. My role as a teacher is to give children the tools with which to build upon and evaluate their knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful. I will present curriculum that involves the interests of the children and makes learning relevant to life. I will incorporate themes, integrated units, projects, group work, individual work, and hands-on learning in order to make children active learners. Finally, I will tie learning into the world community to help children become caring and active members of society.

     My classroom will be a caring and safe environment where each child will have the room to grow into a member of society. I will allow children to become responsible members of our classroom community by using strategies such as class meetings, positive discipline, and democratic principles. In showing children how to become responsible for themselves as well as their own learning, I will give them the tools to become successful in life, to believe in each other, and to believe in their own abilities and potential.

     Teaching is a lifelong learning process of learning about new philosophies and new strategies, learning from the parents and community, learning from colleagues, and especially learning from the children. Children have taught me to open my mind to all of the things that can be, and to reach out and strive for those things.  I want them to never lose this train of thought, that anything is accomplishable if they put the work and effort into making it possible.