The purpose of education is to teach future generations in the most effective way

possible so they can retain as much information as they can throughout their life. I firmly

believe that all students can learn, and we should foster student’s natural curiosity,

leading them to find their own unique paths to success through play and exploration.

My teaching philosophy varies some from year to year, incorporating new

strategies based on the latest research, but mostly, it is unwavering. Children are

individuals. They have different needs, interests, and ways of learning. Being an

educator, it is highly important that I am able to adapt different learning styles and

incorporate them into our daily learning. As an educator, I believe that there are multiple

ways to teach one thing in order to best reach all types of students, since not all

students learn the same way. My lessons are adapted to best suit the needs of all of my

learners.

One of the best things that an educator can do is to effectively communicate.

When I communicate my high expectations to my students, they are able to reach that,

and even exceed it. Learning must be an engaging and interactive process. The walls of

my classroom and the halls outside are covered with students’ artistic responses to

literature. By incorporating diverse products, I have discovered that students who do not

experience success on more traditional assignments are not only more successful on

these, but that it builds their confidence to succeed on other language arts work.

I believe that to teach students to be lifelong lovers of learning, we must model

that by striving to grow and stretch ourselves in every direction. Ways that I

continuously grow is by collaborating with other teachers, working with my instructional

coach, participating in various education twitter chats and education facebook groups,
going to professional development workshops ranging from district to nationwide

opportunities, reading the latest education articles, and by continuing my education to

earn a masters degree in reading education. I firmly believe that investing in myself

means I am investing in my students’ futures. This shows our students, whom we are

teaching to be lifelong learners, that we are lifelong learners as well.

I think my greatest contributions and accomplishments happen every day in my

first grade classroom. They are the relationships I form with each of my students. I love

each and every child who walks through my door. I am determined to provide them with

exactly what they need. Sometimes it is not always a reading group or a math lesson.

Some days it is a life lesson, a snack, or extra sleep. As a teacher, I differentiate to

meet the needs of ALL learners in my classroom. The greatest contribution I, or any

other teacher, can make to the teaching profession is providing the very best education

to EVERY student.

I am a teacher because I am passionate about teaching. I am passionate about

building relationships with my students, challenging them, engaging them, and teaching

them to think on their own. Teaching gives me an overwhelming sense of pride, joy, and

fulfillment in a profession which I believe I am truly making a difference. I am blessed to

be able to call my work a love and a passion.