My Teaching Beliefs

"When teachers have a set of beliefs that guides our work, we know where we're going. There may be twists and turns along the way, but we always know where we're headed." 

-Debbie Miller  Teaching with Intention     

     I've been asked to consider my teaching beliefs and I think this is an interesting point to do this. I'm currently in one of my last semesters before I actually become a teacher so I'm full of experiences from my teaching classes but those experiences considerably outweigh my experiences as a classroom teacher. Essentially this beliefs are my foundations and I'm aware that once I actually begin to teach they may change so it will be interesting to have a place to see my beginning ideas and maybe even useful (for those days when I'm feeling down and stressed from teaching). 

    So without further ado, here is my foundation:

1. Diversity will be welcomed, celebrated, and accepted in my classroom.

     I grew up in two very different schools (one that was filled with minority and one where I was the only minority). While the affluent middle school I went to have many resources that my elementary school didn't have it lacked something incredibly important: diversity. I want my students to learn about diversity as I find ways to regularly incorporate it into lessons. I think by learning about diversity (even if it's not present in the school environment) then students will broaden their horizons and be able to comprehend the whole world around them. Celebrating cultures helps show my students how to respect different cultures while all seeing how cultures differ. I will show my students to be accepting of other cultures by being a role model and show how I am accepting myself. I hope students will feel comfortable enough sharing their different cultures and by doing so can come to understand their fellow classmates more and create deeper bonds.

2. My students are individuals and therefore I will respect their individual learning styles and help find ways to match it in lessons.

     Every student has their own learning style and to teach the class as if they all have the same style would not help students succeed. As a teacher if I come to understand each students learning styles then I can figure out ways to address the styles in lessons so that every student can understand. By using different learning styles then I'm also showing students that I'm not disregarding their learning and instead empowering them to embrace different ways to learn.

3. The classroom environment should welcome and be a safe place for students.

     Students spend 8 hours a day in the classroom and it soon becomes a second home. I think that students should not fear being in the classroom but instead be excited. When students feel comfortable in the classroom then they be more inclined to sit in the classroom and learn. Sometimes home life is not always the best for students and their only escape may be school; if that is the case then students should feel safe at school. I think ways to accomplish this can be giving students ownership of their classroom (this can be done a variety of ways that include name tags, student art on the classroom, student based rules, etc.), making sure there is food and water in the class for students who are hungry/thirsty, and providing jackets for some students when it get cold. When school becomes a safe place for student then they will thrive because they are getting their basic means met. 

4. All students can learn.

    Sometimes students get written off due to their reputation and they slowly begin to believe that they can not learn but that is the furthest thing from the truth. All students have the ability to learn and sometimes it just takes a little work to help the students find their passion. Students may be acting out for other reasons and once a teacher help the student solve them then a student is better able to learn.