Teaching Philosophy

I believe that...

• Teachers should know children's strengths, challenges and interests
• Hands-on, authentic, and active learning activities are most effective
• Teachers should have both positive and high expectations for all students
• Teachers must create a welcoming, safe, inclusive, classroom community
• Assessment should include formal and informal measures
• Assessment should be used to inform planning and instruction
• Instructions should accommodate multiple intelligences and learning styles
• The teacher must scaffold a students learning through modeling, guided practice, and independent practice
• Learning is a social process
• The teacher needs to both scaffold and facilitate during instruction
• Instruction should be cross-curricular
• Instruction needs to be meaningful to a student's schema
• Teachers should helps students make connections between instruction in the classroom and the outside world
• Technology is an important part of any curriculum if it enhances the learning experience
• Positive feedback can help motivate and inspire students