Arizona College PrepMiddle School

Teaching entails the following elements: facilitating intellectual, personal, and social growth; ensuring all students feel valued; enhancing student self-esteem; providing opportunities to work with and learn about people with diverse views, experiences, and backgrounds; empowering students to take responsibility for their learning; and cultivating curiosity.

Each student is on a journey of intellectual, personal, and social growth. As a teacher, I recognize that I am one guide on that journey. All students will enter my classroom with unique backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and views. Each student receives and perceives information differently. Therefore, the path each child takes is exclusive. Assessing and responding to the individual needs and abilities of all students is fundamental in their attaining personal success. Every path contains obstacles and it is my responsibility to assist each individual child in overcoming these challenges. I am a facilitator for each child's growth.

I believe that a child's success is dependent on the learning environment. It is imperative for all children to believe that they have an equal opportunity to be successful. It is essential for a child to feel safe and comfortable in order to fully participate and learn. Therefore, a community needs to be created in the classroom. In order for the community to be successful, all students must contribute their strengths for the benefit of the others. Inclusion and mutual respect must be fostered in the classroom community.

Teaching is a cooperative and collaborative process. Collaboration with parents and guardians as well as other faculty members is essential. Parents and guardians are the first teachers of their children. I respect that their beliefs may be different than mine and I will work for a common solution to any issue that may arise. Timely and consistent feedback for parents and guardians regarding their child's academic and behavioral performance needs to be provided. I strive to promote family involvement.

In today's dramatically changing world, education demands more than reading, writing, and mathematics proficiency. Critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration are vital skills that need to be interwoven with academic competency in order to achieve success. Issues of responsibility, respect for diversity, and teamwork need to be integrated within the school environment as a way to connect with the larger global society. In order to address these issues, students will spend part of their day in cooperative learning groups. My classroom will be structured to enhance student knowledge acquisition while encouraging personal and social development.

I believe that education is a lifelong process. I will create a classroom that allows time for students to personally reflect on their learning and for me to reflect with the aim of enhancing my ability to teach. Effective teaching skills need to be continuously reviewed, developed, and refined. I can only empower students to take responsibility for their learning when I am responsible for my continuing education.

My enthusiasm about children, learning, and my own personal and professional improvement will be key elements in cultivating curiosity and fostering student growth. Teachers have the ability to stimulate imagination, energize students to achieve their goals, and ignite their spirit. I embrace the responsibility of this challenge.