My Philosophy of Education

My philosophy of teaching will be constantly evolving. As I develop professionally and gain more experience as an educator, I must constantly revise my philosophy to reflect my new educational goals, ideals, and insights. I must remember that I too am a lifelong learner. The following represents my current beliefs on education.

Students have the right to be treated with respect and dignity for their ideas, skills, and stages of development. I strongly believe that academics in any school should be accessible to all students. There should be no discrimination based on level of ability, because all students can be challenged at their own individual level and achieve success. I want to teach my students in a way that will be interesting, understandable, and within reach of all children and their varying learning styles. Students will take an active role in their learning by developing cultural and social relationships, identifying civic responsibility, participating in group activities, and learning to challenge their previous ideas, rather than accepting what is said to be true.

Children must consistently be engaged in the classroom. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to encourage and support children in their academic explorations. I also believe that students deserve a learning environment in which they feel safe enough to demonstrate freely their understandings and skills through a variety of activities.

I believe all students are individuals that have the right to learn; because of this, it will be my duty to create lessons that challenge each student at their own level. I will offer remediation and enrichment for each child, for they will all have different educational needs and desires. By getting to know my students both academically and personally, I will be better prepared to meet their individual needs. As a teacher, I have the ability to stimulate new interests and help children reach their goals. I must stay informed about current methods and research, and be

willing to use creativity and flexibility to adapt to my students. I believe that learning is holistic and constructive.

I believe that accurate and constructive feedback helps students become independent learners. Assessment should be an opportunity for students to positively reflect what they have accomplished and demonstrate what they are capable of achieving. Assessment