Jaylyn Thrower

Educational Philosophy Statement

Texas A&M University-Commerce

Robert Wolfe- Professor

01W. ETEC 424

 My Educational Philosophy

“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of

learning.” These are the wise words of Brad Henry that have stuck with me for quite

some time, and will forever be engraved on my heart. What makes a good teacher? In

my opinion, it begins with the educator’s journey, and throughout that time, the

purpose is revealed. I do not have the typical life story, nor do I fall within the category

of having a line of family members who were educators, and as a result inherited the

same career path blood flow. While this may be the case, one similarity that many of my

family members have pertaining to their career choices are that they all deal with

helping people. I too, want to be of service to humanity.

I originally began my college career wanting to dual major in dance and

kinesiology. Dance is another passion of mine; however, it was not a degree I wanted to

pursue for business purposes; it is a personal pleasure specifically for me. Kinesiology

was my backup plan for dance in order for me to be financially stable, but the field did

not appeal to me like dance and education does. When I think or even talk about

teaching, I am overcome with an eagerness and strong appetite. When I reflect on

where I used to be in life, I am excited for what the future holds. As a future educator, it

will be my role to enrich students' lives by providing them with diverse learning

experiences, a safe and welcoming environment, information that keeps students

engaged and willing to collaborate with others, and set them up for success so they feel
confident and fulfilled in all they do. As I mentor young minds and help pave their paths

in a healthy direction, my is hope is that I’d fill their arsenals with what they need to

build strong foundations for tall buildings of knowledge and skills. I know there will be

many innocent lives that I will influence, and they will just as deeply influence me. I

know that there is a basis for my journey and experience gained thus far, and it is

because of it that I can comfortably and confidently state that I have found my calling.

I have always known that I loved kids. The beginning of my journey into

education began when I discovered my love for working with kids. Being a teacher of

education in my perspective is like being a gardener. We plant the seeds of learning in

order for students to be fruitful and productive human beings. My first “job” was

babysitting! What I did not know at the beginning of my college career was that I would

want to work with them and be the light for them, that I desperately needed at different

stages of my own school life. The first real job I acquired was a Coordinator position for

an after-school care program for elementary students, grades kindergarten through

sixth. For the five years that I worked in this role, I was exposed to a lot, both good and

bad! This title set the tone for what I knew was going to set my soul on fire.

For the last seven years it has been my pleasure and passion to water and

nurture the young minds of our future! In those seven years, my passion originated and

continues to grow. Because of that passion, I have always been intentional about the

opportunities and jobs I sought out. For two of those years, I dove deeper into the field
of education as an instructional aide, which opened my eyes even more. I have been

fortunate enough to be able to sub in all grade levels, and work within the specials

department of SSI (Student Success Initiative) assisting teachers and their students

academically. As a result, my confidence has been amplified even more! The more

knowledge I have gained, the more I want to implement change and give more

opportunity to students. Children learn in unique and creative ways. They each possess

multiple intelligences, methods of learning and comprehension. I think it is my duty as

an educator to acknowledge and appreciate such diversity of minds. A curriculum is as

malleable as a child’s mind, and that is the beauty of teaching. I have the power to teach

how I need to maximize the cognitive potential of my students and set them up for a

successful future.

I believe that the field of education is immensely underrated, and while it is ever-

changing, it could still be so much better. First and foremost, it’s important to me that

my passion for teaching never dims, because while it may not be fully required, a quality

teacher knows that a multitude of hats are worn on the job. It is also important that I

provide opportunity, nurture, and bestow love to each unique child that I encounter

because every face tells and hides a story that I may know nothing about. I am not

currently a mother; however, I will be given the gift each year to fiercely equip students

with the tools necessary to be successful academically and socially. I am determined to

create a safe and exciting learning environment that accommodates my students and
their individual needs. I will design my curriculum in a way that engages them

academically, but also integrate concepts and ideas past the technical subjects and

make connections between it and global topics. I will plan to balance the needs of all my

students by assessing the weight of their comprehensive capabilities and structure my

priorities with my lesson accordingly; and I will positively reinforce my students’ work

ethic, participation and positive behavior regularly. Some effective strategies I plan to

use would include incorporating differentiation, technology, cooperative learning,

inquiry-based instruction, and more! I want to be the educator that many (not all) of

mine were not - exceptional! Every morning can be the start of something new. Once

my little learners are able to feel at home in my classroom and confidently carry their

torch, learning can be both a smooth task and a marathon they are willing to run

because they will have me as the coach. With patience and persistence, I know my

students will truly learn something because they’ll be cognizant of the concepts they

learn (academic or not) and apply their knowledge to other things. This could include

building onto other concepts or assisting others by explaining what they know to others,

so they too can understand.

As an educator, I am committed to being there for my students, and advocating

for them; if I can motivate my students to believe in themselves and their capabilities,

then that will be the greatest reward of all. I am more than ready to begin my mission of

productive planting!