Mariah Irizarry

162 Vanloon Street, Plymouth Pennsylvania 18651

(570)497-6531
Mariah.irizarry@wilkes.edu
There are a variety of different beliefs that tie together to form my teaching philosophy.

The world is always changing, with this I also change. The more I grow, learn, and experience,

the better I can form who I am as an educator and what I believe in to meet the needs of my

students. My teaching beliefs include the importance of positive and constructive feedback,

consistently offering the encouragement so students never give up and have a strong work ethic,

a reminder that failure is never the end it is a beginning, and it is how we learn and grow, and

offering student voice in the classroom- the classroom is ours, not mine.

One focus while teaching is to ensure students are learning from their mistakes. I strive to

provide feedback, whether it is positive or constructive. Feedback allows my students to

understand what went well, while also addressing what could have gone better. I will provide

consistent feedback in both verbal and written forms. Students who are auditory learners can

hear their assessment/praise, and those who are more visual are able to see their feedback.

Another important aspect I strive to teach my students is to never give up. Martin Luther

King Jr. once said, “if you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then

crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward” (1967). This is something to

continue to enforce within all students. Not only within the classroom, but during every aspect of

their lives.

Failure is never the end. One quote by Eloise Ristad states “when we give ourselves

permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel” (n.d.). As an
educator, I feel as though it is extremely important to continue to remind your students doing

something wrong or receiving a poor grade does not define them. This is not the end, only the

beginning of a soon to be accomplishment.

The importance of student choice within the class setting is vital. I plan to allow students

to express their voice, to make decisions within their school lives, and to be active participants in

a place where they spend the majority of their day. Students need to know that I care and value

their opinions. This promotes trust and respect within the classrooms.

My main goal is to not only teach students’ academics, but so much more as well. I aim

for them to become confident with themselves and their abilities. I plan for my students to

possess the strength and encouragement to manage themselves, to make positive changes, and to

be able to communicate effectively, all while knowing they can do so.

 References

Luther King Jr, M. (n.d.). Wisdom to inspire. Wisdom To Inspire. Retrieved November 17, 2021,
from https://wisdomtoinspire.com/t/martin-luther-king-jr/4ke9wU2P/if-you-cant-fly-then-
run.

Walter, E. (2018, January 3). 30 powerful quotes on failure. Forbes. Retrieved November 17,
2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ekaterinawalter/2013/12/30/30-powerful-quotes-
on-failure/?sh=e8ff96024bd1.