Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use

to change the world.” This quote has often inspired me on my path to become a teacher;

however, after my preparatory courses at Geneva college and experiences in various educational

settings, my understanding and application of the meaning of the quote has dramatically

changed. I have come to realize that my values in education were placed on student success. I

looked past the individual who might be in my class to see how their performance may reflect

back on my abilities as an educator. The education of young children stands in stark contrast to

this belief, instead focusing attention on supporting the student’s development physically,

socially, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually. The value must be on the person, not the

performance. As Mandela expertly showed, it is through impacting a person that a life, a city, a

nation, and a world may change.

I believe that in an elementary school classroom, the teacher is responsible for holistically

supporting the development of the students. In doing so, the teacher acts as a facilitator of the

learning, providing opportunities that engage and interest the children. To establish such

activities, the teacher must have a concrete understanding of child development, acknowledging

that the domains of development in young children are interconnected, and therefore, the

students require holistic support in order to successfully develop the various areas of their lives.

One way a teacher may exemplify this understanding is by placing stress on the well-being of the

students as being greater than completing the lesson plan for the day. I, personally, have a desire

to work in low socioeconomic settings, where students have high levels of need. The specific

areas of need are often not academic, and therefore, a teacher must be willing to sometimes put

aside the academic plan in order to support the children and provide them with safety,

consistency, encouragement, and hope.

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The role of students, in my belief, is directly related to one’s understanding of how

students learn in the classroom. Contrary to John Locke’s “tabula rasa” theory, I believe children

learn best when they are involved in the learning process. Through hands-on and stimulating

sensory experiences, students develop concrete understandings and mental representations of

new concepts. As a result, therefore, I believe the role of students is to be active participants in

their learning. Partaking in activities, discussion, and inquiry opportunities encourages students

to think critically as they engage with the materials. This, I believe, contributes greatly to the

holistic development of the students. For instance, solving word problems in a group, rather than

watching the teacher write out the steps on the board, develops mathematical understanding, but

also aids in their social development as they communicate and interact with their peers while

working to discover the correct answer.

Within the realm of a student’s education, the parent also plays a crucial role. The

parental role in education is to contribute to the holistic development of the student by

participating in their child’s learning. I believe parents are responsible for providing stability and

love. The aspect of parental stability has drastic implications for the student. Research has shown

that the emotional development of students effects all other areas of development. Without

stability in the home, students may fail to develop emotionally which can lead to disruption in

their academics, decision-making skills, and relationships throughout their adult life. Parents are

also responsible for providing their children with a safe atmosphere. Student development occurs

both in and out of school. The importance of encouragement, support, and acceptance cannot be

stressed enough in regards to the development of children. In education specifically, students

need to have this foundational support as they embrace concepts, challenges, and failures on their

academic journey.
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Within the school, regardless of the grade-level, I believe the curriculum needs to be one

that involves a variety of disciplines – art, mathematics, science, social studies, and language

arts. The provision of all of these gives students a wide range of understanding of and

engagement with the world around them. The integration of content in these areas not only

serves to solidify and reinforce the learning, but it also allows students to see and begin to make

connections within their world. In example of such integration, imagine taking a group of first

grade students outside to pick up freshly fallen leaves. Upon returning to the classroom, the

students may be encouraged to expand their vocabulary by describing their leaves. Then, perhaps

the students sort the leaves, incorporating the discipline of mathematics, and create a graph or

chart to demonstrate the various characteristics. Finally, the students may use their leaves to dip

in paint or an ink pad in order to create prints on paper. In this example, science, language, math,

and art were integrated, providing the students with a well-developed and thoroughly rounded

engagement and understanding of the leaves in their own schoolyard.

In reference to the learning environment, I believe it should first of all be safe and

welcoming to all students. This requires the teacher to be explicit with stating and enforcing rules

that encourage students to respect and treat others with kindness. Additionally, I believe the

classroom should be child-oriented. In achieving this, teachers may collect and provide

developmentally appropriate materials in adequate quantities in order for numerous students to

have the opportunity to engage with the materials. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I

believe the classroom should be one that promotes differentiation in all of its facets – through the

products, processes, learning environments, and contents covered. As the special education laws

continue to promote inclusive classrooms, the success of students with IEPs or Section 504 Plans

directly correlates to the use of accommodations and differentiation techniques within the
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classroom on a daily basis. Knowing student success is dependent on this aspect of instruction, I

believe that as a teacher this should be at the top of my priorities.

I believe education is an avenue for supporting the physical, cognitive, social, emotional,

and spiritual development of children. By providing engaging activities in positive, safe, and

encouraging learning environments, teachers will undoubtedly see growth in all aspects of

student development. I desire for my career as an educator to reflect my belief that each of my

students is innately valuable. Regardless of test scores, behavior, and background, I desire to

show students that they have been divinely created for an individual purpose set forth by God.

Therefore, I believe my role in the classroom will be to support their development in all areas as

they grow in their knowledge of the world and the purpose placed before them.