A Brief Statement of My Teaching Philosophy Jeremiah Paul Connell

Beyond a desire to perform work with meaning and to emulate teachers who have become role models for me is a real enjoyment of history and a strong desire to share my observations and interpretations. In the process of studying history, students develop their abilities to interpret, question, and wield language. Because this discipline is so closely tied to other areas--among them geography and politics as well as reading and writing--I feel that it can be a great vehicle for the improvement of academic skills. I believe an effective teacher must be willing to take a holistic approach and do more than just instruct in his or her content area. He or she should be responsive and willing to adapt his or her approach to the needs of students. A good urban teacher can and should use the city as a learning tool and an extension of the classroom. Fairness in how kids are treated at school, quality of instruction, and consideration of home lifes effect on students affect at school are of prime importance to me as an educator. I believe in the plasticity of the future; I believe it is never too late to intervene and redirect where a young person is headed. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Because a young persons strengths and potential may be stymied by circumstance or difficult to assess, I believe in providing all students with challenging coursework and feedback. High expectations should not be rationed out to any select group of young people. All students--no matter their past performance or predicted outcome--deserve access to the tools necessary for future academic successes.