MissLewiasPhilosophyofEducation

Teachersmustgenerateaclassroomenvironmentthatengagesstudentsintheir
learning,whilealsomeetingtherigorousstudentacademicstandards.Ateachers
enthusiasmforteachingandlearningshouldbecontagiousandcreateapositiveand
supportiveclassroomconducivetoallstudentslearningandgrowing.Allstudentscanlearn
inademocraticclassroomthatissupportedwithdifferentiatedopportunitiestolearn.
Whenstudentsaregiventheparameterstotakeownership,theywillthriveintheir
owncuriosityandlearntothinkdeeper.Whiletheycollaboratetoworkasateamand
thinkcritically,Iwillbecreatinganenvironmentconducivetostudent-directedlearning.
Thiswillbepromotinglifelonglearninginmystudents.
Astudent-directedlearningenvironmentstartswiththeteachercreatingthe
structureinwhichcuriosityforlearningwillprosper.Itisvitaltoestablishaninclusive,
tolerant,welcomingandsupportiveclassroomcommunity.Thiscreatestrustandsupports
risk-takinginandbetweenstudents.Classroomexpectationsshouldinvolvestudentinput
andagreement.Whenstudentsareinvolvedincreatingtheclassroomexpectationsthey
willbeinvestedincarryingthemout.Additionally,theexperienceoffacilitatinga
democraticclassroomwilldemonstratethattheiropinionsarevalued.Bydiscussing,
teaching,posting,andremindingstudentsthroughouttheschoolyearoftheclassroom
expectations,theywillinternalizewhatisexpectedandbecomeresponsiblelearners.
Asaneducator,Ibelievethatallstudentscanlearn.Itisessentialtodetermine
whereeachstudent'sstrengthsandweaknesseslie,andthenworkfromtheirstrengthsto
improvetheirweaknesses.Everystudentcanlearniftheyaregiventhenecessary
supportsand/orextensions.Studentscanhelpeachotherlearnandgrowinwaysthat
shouldbetakenadvantageofdaily.Inmyclassroom,therewillbetablesorgroupsof
desksthatsignifythevalueofgroupworkandcollaboration.Therewillbetimeswhen
individualworkisnecessaryandtherewillbetimeswhenitisappropriateforstudentsto
collaborate,assisteachother,shareideas,andgrowtogether.Itisimportantthat
studentshaveaccesstoeachotherinasupportivecollaborativeenvironment.
Basedonmyphilosophythateverystudentcanlearn,itisintegraltokeepinmind
thatstudentswilleachhavedifferentstrengths,weaknesses,preferences,andinterests.
Inordertoengagestudentsintheirlearningandassisttheminreachingtheirfull
potential,partsorwholelessons,assignmentsandsocialsituationswillneedtobe
differentiated.Necessarydifferentiationisbasedondata,observations,parentinputand
conversationswithcolleagues.Thepurposeofdifferentiationistocreatemeaningful
learningexperiencesforallstudents.
Byvaluingstudentinput,promotingcollaboration,knowingstudentsstrengthsand
weaknesses,anddifferentiatingasnecessary,teacherswillbeabletoensureallstudents
havebeneficialandrewardingeducationalexperiences.