Philosophy of Education

As a teacher, we must embrace diversity in our classroom and provide our students with a safe
and inclusive environment. I believe that all students learn differently and it is important that we are
teaching our students based on their needs in the way that they learn best. Howard Garner developed the
theory of multiple intelligences in which he believed that people learn best in different ways. Some of
these included visual/spatial, linguistic/verbal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, logical/mathematical, musical,
bodily/kinesthetic, and naturalistic. By incorporating all of these areas into the teaching of content,
teachers can present the content to the students in the way that they learn best. Additionally, all students
learn at different rates, so it is important that we are providing them with the appropriate amount of
instructional time to explore the material. Inquiry based learning sets students up with the proper
resources to make connections with what they are learning and discover new concepts.

Students should not only be taught the material, but they need to be challenged in ways that are
developmentally appropriate for their needs. Challenging your students allows them to see their full
potential and motivates them to accomplish even more. Teachers must focus on positively reinforcing
good behavior in a classroom to both minimize bad behavior and encourage good behavior in the future.
By conducting a functional behavior assessment, teachers can understand why a student is behaving in a
negative way and redirect the student to behave in a positive way. All students deserve a chance and they
should not be judged based on how they act in a classroom. Teachers must spend the time to get to know
their students outside of school as well. By understanding where their students come from, teachers can
better accommodate the needs of their students. This allows a teacher to form a better classroom
community that is inclusive to everyone.

Kindness is the backbone to every classroom. By teaching and spreading kindness, students feel
welcomed, safe, and important. The classroom should be arranged based on the needs of the students. It
should be set up in a way that encourages the use of collaborative talk and positive interactions. Students
learn through interacting with each other and surrounding themselves with students who encourage them
to try their best. A classroom should be designed to build up the confidence of students and allow them to
feel confident even when they are wrong. Confidence is the key to success. It is the building block to
learning. As Zig Ziglar once said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” By
creating a positive attitude within your classroom, students will be motivated to learn more and try harder
in ways they never thought were possible.

As a teacher, I must immerse my students in content that is meaningful to them. I must build the
content based off of their background knowledge in order to provide them with the tools to succeed. By
instilling this into my classroom, I can mold my students into lifelong learners and encourage them to
have a growth mindset.