Rachel Graubart

Teaching Philosophy

At the core of my teaching philosophy is the belief that multilingualism is an asset. When

working with emergent multilinguals, it is my goal that they feel proud of speaking more than

one language and feel comfortable to bring all of their languages into their learning. I incorporate

translanguaging pedagogy into my teaching practice, encouraging students to draw on their full

linguistic repertoire while they learn. I tell my students that they are so lucky to be able to speak

more than one language, and anyone who tells them otherwise just isn’t in on the secret yet, so

they have to show them just how incredible it is to be multilingual.

When students and families are in my classroom, I want them to feel safe, welcome, seen,

and heard. I believe that what each student brings to the classroom-their culture, languages,

experiences, funds of knowledge, and academic skills-is valuable. My goal as a teacher is to

create a loving environment that celebrates students’ differences, which allows them to build a

sense of empathy, explore their curiosity, and take on challenges. In order to bring this goal to

fruition, I strive to engage in culturally relevant pedagogy. I believe that the curriculum should

reflect the needs and interests of the students in the room. I choose texts that are both mirrors,

reflecting the identities of the students in my class, and windows, giving students a glimpse at

life experiences outside of their own. I encourage students to ask questions, and let these

questions direct our discussions and areas of focus. I have students construct representations of

concepts and vocabulary words that we refer back to throughout our learning process. For

example, while learning new vocabulary words, I have students come up with gestures to

represent each word. Then, we practice the gestures together as a class. In my classroom,

students are always centered.

 It is also important to me to get to know each of my students holistically. I use a wide

range of data points-formal assessment data, informal observation, formative assessment,

information about the student’s background and home, and conversations with them-to inform

my teaching decisions. In order to target the specific needs of my learners, I do a lot of my

instruction in small groups. It allows me to give each student more individualized attention and

to give instruction that is appropriately challenging to them. In addition to getting to know my

students’ well academically, it is important to me to learn about them as people and to build

strong relationships. By fostering strong relationships with students, I am able to establish a

sense of trust and community in the classroom. This allows students to feel comfortable to take

academic risks, feel proud of who they are, and build their confidence.

Students’ families are an essential part of their learning. It is important to me to maintain

consistent, clear communication with families and to involve families in their child’s learning. In

order to keep families in the loop, I use the app, TalkingPoints, to send families updates on what

we are learning and questions they can discuss to continue the learning at home. I also use the

app to send individual messages to caregivers about their child’s accomplishments and when I

have concerns, to set up meetings. Additionally, I am passionate about finding ways to connect

family and community at the systemic level. I have helped to plan family events at school and

participated in my school’s Site Council and ELPAC. In my future teaching positions, I intend to

engage in teams that link schools and families.

Through valuing students’ multilingualism, practicing culturally relevant pedagogy,

forming strong relationships with students, and maintaining connection between schools and

families, I hope to work towards social justice through education.