Entering the teaching profession, I sincerely believed that every student was capable of success. There was no doubt in my mind that with the right instruction and a little encouragement all students could achieve. As I ventured through my first year of teaching, it became less clear on the fruition of this vision. While I consistently was improving my lesson execution, performance with the behavior management system, and providing high-leverage feedback, students continued to struggle. I observed the veteran teachers around me to see what I was missing. One day, I noticed a veteran teacher seeking to understand her students. When a student was upset she asked, "What is bothering you?" and "How can I help you?" At this moment, I learned that instruction alone was not enough - relationships were crucial to any great educator.

 

When speaking about teacher-student relationships, I think profoundly about trust. Rita Pierson is quoted stating "Kids don't learn from people they don't like" (2013). My teaching philosophy encompasses this in my belief that students learn from teachers they like and trust. This is essential for me to build a student's confidence within themselves. As I have developed as an educator it has become clear that it is not my belief in students that fosters transformational growth - it is my students' belief in themselves. With this enlightenment, the foundation of my pedagogy has been focused around developing my students' intrinsic motivation and sense of self.

 

While I am founded on the belief that every student is intelligent and capable of learning, the difference between children learning and becoming lifelong learners lies in their adult presence. Many of the students I have worked closely with struggle with self-confidence. They have been challenged, failed, or disappointed by education. They seek guidance that they cannot always recognize. An educator is a student's key to opening a door, opening their mind, and identifying a capability they never knew existed. 

 

As an educator, I am a developer of mindset first. For this reason, I like to summarize my teaching philosophy as the motto of my second year of teaching when I worked in a turnaround school. Education is love and revolution with a focus on academic success, growth, and independence. As I have developed my role as an educator, I have been able to redefine my original understanding that all students are capable of succeeding. While I worked in a school that focused on love and revolution, we prioritized our instruction. It was our goal not only to show students our belief in them and build their confidence within themselves but also help them fall in love with learning, by establishing engaging lessons, consistent feedback, sharing data, and celebrate growth alongside success.

 

As I have developed my teaching philosophy over the past three years, it is ready to flourish. I understand the values of my classroom and my purpose with children. With this clear vision, I feel I am consistently providing my students with skills they need to be successful both in and outside the classroom - to be prepared academically as well as to give back to their community as the next generation of leaders. As I continue to grow as an educator, I only hope to become more efficient in my pursuit.