My Teaching Philosophy

The Classroom Family

The principal of my classroom will be “be a part of the classroom family”.   On our first day of school we will spend time as a class talking about how we need to interact with each other to ensure that everyone can be successful.  My intent is to create a collaborative learning environment.  Students as young as kindergarten can identify with the sense of belonging associated with family (even if their family situation is strained). Learning how to work together and collaborate is an essential life skill that needs to be practiced early on and continued throughout life.  In addition, children learn best when they are comfortable. 
My goal is to create a safe and secure family type of environment where learning is able to flourish and my students can grow and develop.  My classroom will be open and flexible in compliance with the constructivist viewpoint.  I want my students' learning to be based on hands-on experience, personal discoveries, and cooperative learning.  

Community of Learners

Humans are social creatures.  They have a desire to interact with others and a need to belong.  My classroom will be a place where all my students belong.  I am excited about the unique perspective each child will bring to our classroom.  By creating an environment in which the process of learning is as valuable as the information learned, each student will have the opportunity to be the “teacher”.  Through direct instruction and peer modeling, my students will develop the sense of independence needed to lead their peers in an activity.  It is my goal to nurture my students’ intrinsic desire to explore the world around them as they develop higher level thinking skills while mastering appropriate grade level curriculum.  Each student will be challenged to share his or her natural talents and abilities so that together we will grow as much as possible.  The very act of working together will create the collaborative environment that is my primary objective.