My Beliefs About Education and Teaching

I believe teaching is like a work of art. Much like any masterpiece, it stems from a place of love,
of selflessness, and of hope. As teachers, we give a piece of ourselves to our students in the hopes that
they will take what we teach them to heart. We teach in the hope that what our students learn from us will
empower them to find their voice and make the world a kinder place. We have the incredible honor of
raising the next generation of revolutionaries, rebels, visionaries, and artists. It is impossible to teach them
everything, as a teacher, my greatest priorities reside in creating safe spaces for students to learn, grow,
and thrive, celebrating diversity and what makes each of our students unique, and empowering students to
take ownership of their learning and allowing them to explore through passions and inquiry.
When students walk into our classroom, the priority that should always take center stage is the
building of community and relationships with students. This takes many forms, and can be comprised of
gestures big and small alike. First and foremost, this might look like co-constructing your class
expectations and procedures with students. Valuing what students want and need in a classroom
environment invites them to become more invested in the classroom climate and culture. When you take
the time to create safe spaces and build relationships with your students, they are more likely to take risks,
be vulnerable, and grow as humans and as learners. When you invest in the community of your classroom
kids, feel safe, they feel seen, and they feel heard. Another way of building community is a smaller
gesture that has one of the biggest impacts of them all- everyday conversations. You don’t get to know
everything about a person in a single day, especially when you have multiple classes with immense
multitudes of students. You get to know your students bit by bit. The periodic conversations you have
with students give you a window into getting to know them- their likes and dislikes, what their values are,
and what they hold dearest to them. It is these very conversations that make students feel safer, more
welcome, and strengthen your classroom community.
Another pillar in more core teaching philosophy is the celebration and diversity and inclusivity in
the classroom. This goes hand in hand with creating safe spaces and strong community in your classroom,
and is vital. Celebrating diversity can happen in an infinite number of ways. This can look like
incorporating texts from a wide and diverse range of perspectives, bringing in members of the community
to share their stories and experiences, and making sure students have access to diverse resources and texts
both inside and outside of your classrooms. When students see themselves in books, the impact is
immeasurable. To be able to see yourself and elements of your story played out in literature makes you
feel seen and heard. I teach because I believe there is magic in every story, and every student has one to
tell. Looking at diverse texts, particularly young adult literature, is incredibly impactful for kids and
invites them to think about and write their own stories.
The final pillar of my teaching philosophy is inviting and empowering students to take ownership
of their learning. When you give students the opportunity to channel their passions and explore, not only
does it further their learning, but their joy for learning grows. Allowing students to explore and navigate
things with more independence, we are also setting them to be life-long learners. Learning should never
stop because when learning stops, so does growth. To give up on learning is to give up on possibility,
opportunity, and the wonder of the unknown. We need to give our students the opportunity to
continuously grow and thrive. Student ownership can be achieved in many ways. It can look like giving
students choice and voice, inviting them to think critically about what they know and investigate, and
giving them opportunities and time to tune into and explore their passions and interests in meaningful
ways. Some of the most impactful things you can do with your students that further their ownership are
book clubs/ literature circles and genius hour projects.
I believe that every student deserves the opportunity to change and make the world a better place
than we knew. A kinder place where the sun shines and hope runs free. Where the only place wonder and
curiosity stops is somewhere far beyond the horizon, beyond our reach. I believe every student should be
given the opportunity to grow, to change, to succeed. I believe all of these things, and with them, I teach.