Teaching Philosophy

     I will begin each year of teaching with an open mind and an open heart.. I believe that every year I will have a different set of students, with different personalities, that are in need of a different set of rules. I plan to make my few permanent rules flexible enough to cover the needs and personalities of every child.

Through the years of being around children and the different styles of management I personally have read about, I cannot agree completely with any one person. I take tidbits from each. For example Cantor who talks about being an assertive teacher to Kohn who believes that classrooms should be all student centered. I believe both make a better classroom. There are theorists who believe that extrinsic rewards are the way to go and those that believe intrinsic is better. I believe both work and it really depends on the group of students you have and what works best for them.

   I believe there is good in everyone and just finding that good can make for a great year of teaching. As a teacher you have to learn about your students, their background and what makes them tick. With this you can learn what works best to discipline them.

  As a teacher you must have three things: 1. confidence in yourself as a teacher and role model for your students. 2. You must have lots of patience and 3. You must be very flexible in every aspect of your teaching; from lessons to discipline because you never know what a day may bring. I will always strive to keep those 3 things.

In cooperating with the school system there will be set rules for everyone that will cover the major things like bullying and safety issues. I will follow those, while also forming my own rules inside the classroom that best fit the needs of my students for that year. I expect to be wrong sometimes and to grow with the children in many cases; but I will always keep the three things in mind and enjoy myself and hopefully the  students will enjoy me too.