"You don't have to be a princess, it's ok to be a snail." - an improvisational song by a Talkeetna Elementary preschooler.

My Philosophy

Essential to my philosophy is the belief that a teacher should choose methods that help him/her to function well as a teacher.  I believe, that when choosing a method, a teacher should consider his/her teaching style, personality, and students.  In some ways, a person's philosophy and their methods of choice become one.  In that sense, my philosopy is ever-changing.  I lean towards the constructivist side of the continuum of teaching philosophies but depending on my current students, I may choose to adopt behaviorist methods for a time.  

 

However, there are some aspects of my philosophy that have remained static for some time.  Such as:

I want my students to be self-motivated and I do what I can to help them develop motivation that comes from within.  I want to honor my student's unique personalities and skill sets and build upon them by raising up leaders instead of sheep.  I want my students to think for themselves while still speaking and operating respectfully.  I try to honor the ideas and thoughts of my students by using their suggestions as much as possible without compromising their education.  And, in general, I tend to side with philosophical or methodilogical arguments that are supported by research and are not heavily polarized.