FryeElementary School

My Educational Philosophy

“It takes a village to raise a child” is an African proverb quote that I believe
exemplifies the importance of working together for the success of every
child. Our village is far and wide, filled with families from all over the world,
with varying backgrounds, languages, experiences, and circumstances. Being
a part of this village allows me to appreciate and have respect for each
unique child and their family. Wehave the opportunity to learn, grow, and
share with each other. I believe in building bridges and involving families in
the education of their children.
Children need more than one person to guide their education. I am committed
to being a team player. Being a part of a team and working towards the same
goals as my colleagues enhances student success. Effective communication
and forming a team are powerful tools. I am a life-long learner, always
wanting to grow and improve. Being a team player, I work with my
colleagues by planning, brainstorming, and improving all the time.
Collaborating with colleagues builds life-long relationships and makes a
place for myself in the community. Everyone has his or her own strengths
and talents. It is important to be humble and ask questions while learning
from other teachers, support staff, and administrators.
Effective, consistent, and proactive communication between school and
home is crucial to the success of a child. A partnership requires both parties
to work together as a team. It is important that parents feel included and that
they hear about both positive and negative behavior and progress. Families
should feel like they are part of the classroom and school community.
Weekly newsletters, regular phone calls, and daily behavior reports allow the
parents to feel like they are an integral part in the development and success
of their child.
Through my teaching experience, I have seen the importance in establishing
short and long-term goals that are developmentally appropriate and aligned
with the state learning essentials. It is crucial to take into consideration my
students needs, learning styles, and interests. To ensure success, I continually
evaluate my lessons and assess my students learning to better meet the needs
of each student. Along with setting goals and assessing student learning, it is
important to set high, but not impossible, expectations for all students.
Setting high standards for students and articulating clear goals so students
know what they will learn and what they will be expected to do with what
they know.
By varying teaching methods, I can provide students with a greater
opportunity to learn. Every student has different learning style strengths and
weaknesses. Focusing on multiple learning styles and varying teaching
techniques will help students to be more successful, motivated, and
interested in the subject matter taught.
“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn
and change” by Carl Rogers portrays how important it is to keep learning and
being willing to grow and change. Keeping up with the latest information
through on-line forums, workshops, and classes will make me a better
teacher. This in turn, will lead to more student interest and greater success. I
have my own love for learning and I inspire students with my passion for
education and the material being taught. It is crucial to see the relation
between teaching and learning. A good teacher is open to change and is
constantly trying to improve instruction by modifying instruction to best
meet the needs of each student.
Having a sense of community and belonging in the classroom provides a
supportive, collaborative environment. In this small community, there are
rules to follow and jobs to be done and each student should feel that they are
an important, integral part of the classroom and the school as a whole. It is
important to establish a classroom culture where the students are required to
respect one another. Students should feel safe to share and ask questions.
Modeling kind behavior promotes kind and helpful behavior. It is important
for students, families, and colleagues to find me approachable. A great
teacher possesses good listening skills and takes time out of their schedule to
anyone who needs them.
I seek to inspire students, families, colleagues, and the community. My goal
is to foster an environment where we work as a team. Effective
communication and forming a team are powerful tools in helping every child
to be successful. It takes a village to raise a child.