As a future art educator, artist and all-around visual person, I think my philosophy is best described using a visual analogy. Imagine you are walking on a trail. You look down and notice bright colored stones, a delicate flower, a bee landing on the flower. After admiring these small details, your perspective broadens. You see a creek winding into the distance, a deer grazing and watch a hummingbird zoom to the top of an aspen. As you hike even further on the trail and gain elevation you can see even more. You observe different hills and mountain peaks with thousands of treetops clustered together, a plume of smoke rising from somewhere between the trees and off in the distance a small town. All the little details you observed before coming together to create the big picture.
This story is an analogy for my journey to the student and teacher candidate that I am now. I have gone from understanding and knowing small details about who I will be as a teacher and throughout my journey have kept those with me all while gaining more perspective. It has always been evident to me that creating meaningful relationships with my students, nurturing an empathetic classroom climate and culture and valuing safety and inclusivity builds a strong foundation in any classroom. I have also learned the value of creating opportunities that suit all learners and their unique needs by providing choice, that pushing students out of their comfort zones and challenging them results in learning that makes an impact and changes them forever. I understand that for students to think deeply, the problems I present them with must provide them with the chance to connect with something that is personal, passionate and pertinent to them as an individual. I have discovered that assessment is an incredible tool for me to better serve my students and allow me to be the best teacher I can be for my students. I am also responsible for staying aware of the ever-changing world around me and my students so we can work together and understand each other's perspectives.
It is my job to be both a student and a teacher for the entirety of my career. I must adapt, change and learn constantly and be consistent in my endeavors. Teaching is never static nor stagnant. Just like the winding trail with all its parts. All the valuable lessons I have gathered build on one another to paint the bigger picture of what teaching is all about, using everything I have learned to create a harmonious whole. One that never ends but continues to go on and grow. There are endless trails to be covered!
This story is an analogy for my journey to the student and teacher candidate that I am now. I have gone from understanding and knowing small details about who I will be as a teacher and throughout my journey have kept those with me all while gaining more perspective. It has always been evident to me that creating meaningful relationships with my students, nurturing an empathetic classroom climate and culture and valuing safety and inclusivity builds a strong foundation in any classroom. I have also learned the value of creating opportunities that suit all learners and their unique needs by providing choice, that pushing students out of their comfort zones and challenging them results in learning that makes an impact and changes them forever. I understand that for students to think deeply, the problems I present them with must provide them with the chance to connect with something that is personal, passionate and pertinent to them as an individual. I have discovered that assessment is an incredible tool for me to better serve my students and allow me to be the best teacher I can be for my students. I am also responsible for staying aware of the ever-changing world around me and my students so we can work together and understand each other's perspectives.
It is my job to be both a student and a teacher for the entirety of my career. I must adapt, change and learn constantly and be consistent in my endeavors. Teaching is never static nor stagnant. Just like the winding trail with all its parts. All the valuable lessons I have gathered build on one another to paint the bigger picture of what teaching is all about, using everything I have learned to create a harmonious whole. One that never ends but continues to go on and grow. There are endless trails to be covered!