Te ac hing Philosop hy

I believe in the power of collaborative classroom communities where everyones ideas are valued and respected. I believe in loving and treating my students as if they were my own children. I strive to create a safe place, a constant no judgment zone, a place where students self-confidence will soar. I believe in involving families in their childs learning. Through open communication, it is my desire to connect the classroom to the home, and ultimately the community. Whether it be by regular phone calls, meetings, the use of agendas, a classroom blog, or student showcases where family and friends are invited into the classroom to experience the students latest work, I am committed to making connections. I believe in differentiated instruction. No two children are created equally. I believe in meeting childrens individual and unique needs, and communicating and learning in a way that makes sense to them. I believe in teaching to the multiple intelligences. Children often learn by doing, therefore I strive to create opportunities for active learning, including learning centres, inquiry based learning, and lots of hands-on work. I want to foster their curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and scaffold their learning. I am sincerely committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity for success. I believe in the value of all forms of artistic representation. Whether it be through dance, drama, music, or other forms, I believe all types of learners receive value from the integration of the arts throughout the curriculum. I believe in the education of the whole child. Social emotional learning is as important to me as teaching the prescribed learning outcomes. I truly believe that children will succeed given the opportunity. I believe that if children are not learning, it is because I have not found the way to teach them. I believe in lifelong learning. Receiving my Bachelor of Education Degree is not the end of the road for me. I am driven to continually increase my knowledge and improve my practice. I am self-reflective and am often creating daily or weekly goals for myself based on the challenges of the previous week. It is important to me to take advantage of professional development opportunities and incorporate my new learning into my practice. I believe in 21st century learning. The world of technology is moving forward at rapid pace, and I am passionate about integrating technology into my classroom. I feel that technology is not a better way to teach, it is just a different way. Through the use of technology I feel students level of engagement is increased. Used appropriately, I believe the use of technology can enhance learning in the classroom. I believe in the effective use of assessment methods to inform my practice. Students should be an integral part in developing assessment criteria, and it is in this way that I believe students will take ownership of their learning. I believe in the modeling and value of making errors and learning from them. I believe this acceptance helps to foster the feeling of trust and support for risk-taking. I believe in balance. I believe in careful, thoughtful planning, and excellent organization. My management style is firm, fair, and fun, and I believe that children do best when expectations are clear and consistent. I seek opportunities to promote leadership and stress personal responsibility, consistently encouraging my students to make good choices. I believe in the power of positive role models and strive to be one for my students in my classroom, as a member of the community, and a citizen of the world. My ultimate goal is to be an intentional teacher. A teacher who is thoughtful and reflective, and who is conscious of the decisions I make and the actions I take. I am committed to living and teaching by the principles and practice I value and believe in.

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. Albert Einstein