I believe that all children have the innate ability to learn if given the opportunity to receive a quality education. Every child is unique and with guidance and support can make a difference in themselves and our world.
As curious creatures, I believe learning is inherently fun as it is a process of discovery and exploration of our amazing world and life. To engage in learning is not easy and is filled with frustration and change. My role as a teacher is a guide and a coach to provide opportunities for my students to learn and to push them to go beyond their comfort zones to achieve new growth. I believe in hard work and never giving up. It is my role to empower my students so they continue to strive and learn no matter what obstacles they have to overcome.
I believe that everyone wants to be loved, understood, and respected. Children want to please adults, they want to be cherished and valued. A child with behavior issues may appear to want to drive us crazy but dig deeper and you realize the child is trying to communicate something with behaviors that we deem stubborn, disrespectful, lazy, rude…. any negative label. We must be detectives to find out what the child is trying to tell us by his/her behavior. When we discover the why, we are able to help the child find new ways to solve the problem and engage in learning. It is a process and the negative behaviors do not disappear quickly but punitive measures will not change the reason for the behavior or solve the problem.
I have learned that less is best when a child is having a meltdown. Adults try to comfort a child by talking or reasoning with the child which agitates the child, creates power struggles, and prolongs the issue. S/he is unable to process language or other information and we must wait to talk. Be calm and don’t take their behavior personally. When they have stopped screaming, then reflect back how they may be feeling and empathize with them (even if it seems ridiculous to you). They need to feel understood in order to calm down. At the same time, children need boundaries and structure to feel safe. I believe children need us to be kind, caring, and firm.
I believe in the power of play and see the consequences of the lack of play in all our lives. Students are lacking social skills, imagination, and grit because their lives are overly structured, and lack opportunities for play with others and by themselves. I believe children need to feel frustration, and experience failure so they learn to tolerate those feelings. If we support them, encourage them, and empathize with them while they struggle instead of doing it for them or making it easy then they feel empowered to stretch, grow and overcome.
Maya Angelou sums up my philosophy as it has evolved over the years. I practice what I know to be effective, reflect upon what works and what needs to improvement, and to change when it is in the best interests of my students.
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”