Educational Philosophy
Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire. - W.B. Yeats
All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have equal opportunity to develop our talents. - John F. Kennedy
Education should not be perceived as a product, but rather as a process - the interaction between and inspiration passed from teacher (children, parents, families, community members, school staff; anyone who has something to offer others) to student (children, adults; anyone who has something to learn). In today's day and age with knowledge readily available at anyone's fingertips, it is not the "knowledge keepers" who have power, but rather those who are able to think critically and solve problems creatively. I believe that all children should be given the opportunity to develop their skills and talents in a safe, caring and learning conducive environment. Teachable moments should be seized at every opportunity - the more relevant and interesting that children perceive their classroom experience, the more likely they will be to take responsibility for their own learning. The children in my classroom are all unique individuals, with varying interests, talents and abilities. It is important to me that all children work to the best of their own abilities, and not to the abilities of others. I hold all of my kids accountable to their current skill level, and challenge them against their past performances. In this way, all children have been able to celebrate their own personal academic successes.
Children need to feel loved and cared for before they can be in the proper mindset to learn. It is my daily goal to ensure that all of my children have their physical and emotional needs met while they are in my care, so that they can fulfill their jobs as students. The children and myself are held accountable to the Golden Rule (treat others how you want to be treated).
Parents and families are a child's first teacher(s). It is important to me to maintain open communication between home and school, in order to foster meaningful parent involvement within the child's school experience. When parents recognize that the teacher is making a conscious effort to include them in their child's educational experience, it helps families to realize that the teacher has their child's best interests at heart. When children recognize this mutual effort between their families and teachers, they begin to realize the importance of education, community involvement and lifelong learning.
Children need to feel loved and cared for before they can be in the proper mindset to learn. It is my daily goal to ensure that all of my children have their physical and emotional needs met while they are in my care, so that they can fulfill their jobs as students. The children and myself are held accountable to the Golden Rule (treat others how you want to be treated).
Parents and families are a child's first teacher(s). It is important to me to maintain open communication between home and school, in order to foster meaningful parent involvement within the child's school experience. When parents recognize that the teacher is making a conscious effort to include them in their child's educational experience, it helps families to realize that the teacher has their child's best interests at heart. When children recognize this mutual effort between their families and teachers, they begin to realize the importance of education, community involvement and lifelong learning.