Educational Philosophy

“Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” That is a throwaway line from George
Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman that has been used over time to denigrate the profession of
teaching, but I think it is important to think about how such a line ever gained acceptance, as my
own approach to education starts with my commitment as a passionate professional. I believe
that to serve my students well, I need to approach each day with the intent of honing my craft,
increasing my expertise. In the past, approaches to professionalism may have centered just as
much on attire and a well-ordered, hierarchical classroom as it did knowing the content one was
teaching. In my view, it starts with being a content-area expert, pedagogically adaptable while
still being true to myself, and accepting that the best classrooms tap into a democratic structure
that leans on students’ voices and choices. I feel drawn to education both as a means to help
students shape their own lives but also out of a deep desire to answer the call of public service,
collaborating with all the stakeholders involved to improve individuals’ lives, my community,
and my country.
To that end, teaching social studies is a natural fit. Like many others, I approach social
studies education from the perspective of promoting the concept of citizenship. I believe citizens
are educated, not born. Effective civic participation and citizenship can only be achieved through
and built upon civic competence, a combination of civic knowledge, skills, intellectual processes,
and dispositions that prepare students to understand, appreciate, and participate in their local,
national, and global civic conversations. Still, I believe we must acknowledge the role that an
outside education plays in reinforcing the lessons of the classroom, often providing the practical
stakes necessary for students to appreciate the responsibility of citizenship. The mutual
reinforcement of formal and informal civics education is necessary to produce empowered
citizens who possess the civic self-efficacy and the critical thinking skills to understand that their
actions can make a difference, along with how to recognize the effect of their actions. Apart from
teaching citizenship, I also seek to build an environment that advances learning in general,
pushing students to be eager to learn beyond “checking the box” of standards or preparation for a
test, standardized or otherwise, and encouraging them to make connections between social
studies content and their own lives.
As for students’ experience in my classroom, I want to help them develop an appreciation
of learning for learning’s sake. That starts with providing a welcoming classroom, with an
environment that nourishes and sustains learning. From that fertile ground, the foundations are
provided for building positive, potentially life-changing relationships with students. My students
should expect to grapple with big ideas and engage in dynamic educational experiences. By
centering big ideas, I seek to establish their relevance to students’ lives. Promoting big ideas also
ensures that students will deal with intriguing, puzzling questions that can only be answered
through problem-solving, even if students may end up re-evaluating those answers throughout
their lives. It is also my goal to introduce students to and impart upon them attitudes, beliefs, and
skills that will build their self-confidence and self-efficacy, so that they feel free to express
themselves while making sense of the world and their place in it.