Philosophy of Education Statement

Analyssa Gonzalez

Growing up in a small, rural community in Northern California I had two agriculture

educators who influenced me; one of these positively and one negatively, but both in powerful
ways that shaped me into the agriculture educator that I am today. One of these teachers instilled
in me the value of building relationships with students and showed me that people very rarely
join organizations but rather people come together because of the relationships they build. As a
student under the influence of this teacher I learned that human connection is a powerful tool and
without it, students search for a sense of identity and inner confidence that only comes from
being surrounded by individuals who show that they care. The second of these teachers helped
me to learn the fundamental value of giving students real world experiences. Not all learning
occurs sitting at a desk and not all knowledge comes from a lecture. This teacher allowed me as a
student to explore and engage my natural curiosity which led to significant learning outside the
classroom. The real value of a teacher is their ability to instill in students a desire to learn that
will carry them through their academics and onto a successful future in their careers and in
society. It is because of my experiences with both of these educators and by utilizing the three
circle model of Agriculture Education that I have derived a two part teaching philosophy: first, it
is essential to build relationships with students before any significant learning can occur and
second, it is just as essential to use those relationships to cater to students’ interests and give
them real world experiences which will create lifelong learners.

As an ag teacher I have the privilege of spending many hours outside the classroom with
my students through practices for Career and Leadership Development Events, SAE visits and
van rides to and from conferences and competitions. I utilize these opportunities to get to know
my students and build significant relationships with them. I incorporate home visits into my
schedule so that I have an opportunity to see students’ home lives and also form a connection
with their families. These relationships create a team of caring individuals who work together
towards the success of each student. My classroom environment is one where the student feels
empowered to take risks for the potential of their own personal growth and development. They
can rely on routines and structure, something that is often missing in their personal lives, and
they are involved in their own learning process. They also take ownership over their achievement
in a rigorous classroom environment. Students trust that I will be fair and that my classroom is a
safe space for them to fail forward. I adjust instruction throughout my lesson to meet the needs of
my students and I recognize when students are struggling. Not all students learn in the same way
or at the same time but all students can be engaged in learning on some level. This principle has
motivated my classroom and lesson development throughout my teaching career. Because of the
investment that I make in relationships I have been able to create and utilize content that is
accessible to all students and implement various instructional strategies which reach not just my
high achieving students but also my students with unique learning needs and challenges. The
trust I have established with students has led them to step out of their comfort zones to strive for
higher achievement, not just in their academics but in all three circles of Agriculture Education.

By establishing significant relationships with students early on and and taking the time to
foster those relationships, I can identify the interests and talents of my students. I utilize the
backgrounds and cultures of my students to create real, relevant learning opportunities. Even
with their diverse experiences the students in my classroom find common ground in the essential
focus of agriculture in society. Students learn to appreciate the impact that agriculture has on
their daily life and answer questions focused around feeding a growing, urban population.
Students invest in the idea of agricultural sustainability and use that phenomena to drive their
learning with the intent to solve essential questions being asked of agriculturists each and every
day. I believe that students learn best by doing and thus the three circle model of Agriculture
Education is the backbone of my teaching development. Through hands-on labs and real world
scenarios, I can make the concepts in my classroom applicable for students in their future. In
utilizing inquiry based instruction and allowing room for my students to think critically
throughout my curriculum I nurture their natural curiosity and create lifelong learners as well as
members of society that will make informed decisions for their future careers and endeavors.

From my classroom, to their career, I seek to help students find the next step for their
future. My goal is for my own successes to be reflected in the successes of my students and that I
will always stand as a role model for students to rely on as they continue to grow and develop as
individuals. Through my teaching and my relationships with students, I believe that the young
people that leave my classroom will have gained the experiences needed to continue to follow
their passions and leave an impact on agriculture and society as a whole. In my classroom sit the
scientists, policy makers and teachers of tomorrow and I believe that I can shape and influence
them to carry out the promise of agriculture for future generations.