TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I believe that all students can learn. Teachers must facilitate discovery and learning, not prescribe and elicit answers. Students must develop the skills and desire to become lifelong learners by becoming competent, independent, and active learners. I believe this is best achieved when students are allowed to develop and explore their strengths as well as work on improving their weaknesses, and when they are allowed to deal with real issues and problems, make choices, find solutions and take ownership of consequences and their self-worth. Students must be allowed to learn in their own individual learning style and respect these unique learning styles in themselves as well as others.

 Education should include the student as a whole individual, not just the curriculum and academic knowledge and standards.  It should also provide a safe space for personal development and the development of community and global understanding. I believe students learn best when they are actively engaged, challenged, and perceive the learning process as relevant to themselves and their lives. Students must be provided with opportunities to learn and develop creative and critical thinking skills, the ability to question and integrate ideas, and the ability to apply and transfer that knowledge to multiple situations.

I believe the classroom must be a place where discipline is viewed as learning and not as punishment. It must be a place where students feel safe to discover and explore active and involved learning, express creativity and take risks. The classroom must be a positive, nurturing, stimulating learning environment that is responsive to student’s need and builds a strong support system between students. I believe it must also facilitate the development of a community of learners that embraces diversity and respect for the self, others, and the world around us.

I believe that schools must be a safe place of learning based on positive interactions and a co-operative effort between students, staff, parents and community. Schools and teachers must value each student as individuals with unique learning styles, needs, and requirements and provide an environment where everyone experiences security, care, dignity, respect and success. Classrooms and schools must provide a physical environment that is safe, welcoming and provides the opportunity for movement and energetic physical activity. Schools, classrooms and teachers must help students develop good citizenship skills that are as applicable outside the classroom as they are inside a classroom.