Week 13 Assignment Philosophy of Education

      Teaching children is a very important job that should not be taken lightly.  Although it is full of challenges, frustrations, and responsibilities, it brings joy when children learn and you know you were a part of that process.  All children if given the opportunity are capable of learning, some may learn faster or slower, but can grasp information when given on their level.  Teachers should be willing to differentiate instruction to reach and teach all students in their classroom. 

    Education is very important for individuals to become critical thinkers to make informed decisions.  When we educate students, it opens their minds and allows them to view the world with an innocence and receptiveness.  Working with special needs children for the past 18 years, and being a parent of a Down Syndrome child, has allowed me to see life and education through different glasses. My goal as a teacher is to always motivate and encourage students to do their best and to reach their full potential.  As a teacher, students deserve my best everyday regardless how I am feeling.  In the past seven years, my goal has changed that instead of wanting to just educate I want to advocate for special need children and their parents.  So many times, I have encountered parents who have no one to guide them or to help them know what is best for their child.  Working in a challenging school day after day, you realize there is more to being a teacher than just educating in the various subjects, but to teach life skills and how to adapt to different situations and to persevere through every challenge.  Daily, I encourage students and listen when they need an ear and let them know that someone cares.  As an educator, I have added a goal to play a vital role in creating a cultural understanding that will allow students to explore different world cultures while within the school building.  I feel that one of my greatest strength as an educator is being flexible and enjoying sharing my knowledge while maintaining an appropriate level of authority.  Building a positive rapport with students by welcoming them with a friendly smile each day goes a long way.  Students know that I respect and care about them as individuals and know I will go out of my way to help them succeed.

As a teacher, it is my responsibility to create a safe learning environment.  If students do not feel safe in my classroom, then they will not learn.  Students should feel emotionally, physically, and socially comfortable in the classroom.  It is also important that parents, co-workers, and administrators see me as someone they can approach who is fair and treats everyone equally.     

My main goal is to prepare students for their future, by helping them learn how to write and communicate with others and develop skills needed as an adult. As a role model, my daily walk should be a positive one so that students can see how they should behave and speak to one another. My philosophy and teaching styles may change throughout my teaching career, but I need to be always willing to be open for improvements and suggestions.   When students think of me, I want them to remember I was a dedicated educator that created an interesting learning environment where they were eager to learn. Students should never stop questioning areas of learning, they should be responsible for their own choices, and to respect themselves and others.