BODY

IDEALS

MANAGE

CARE

RESPONSIBILITY

CAREER

RELATIONSHIPS

GOALS

DECIDE
NEEDS

SELF
SOCIETY
WANTS

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY Elena Teixeira

Effective Family and Consumer Science education for the adolescent learner recognizes and appreciates the individual at this levels unique stance at the intersection of childhood and emerging adult independence and responsibility. Thusly, my design and implementation of curriculum will be rooted in the practical application of knowledge to help students shape and manage their adult roles as producers, consumers, and active members of the most basic and essential unit of society: the family. Through experience-based learning, my Family and Consumer Science classroom strives to be a safe, comfortable, inclusive environment that will encourage participation to effectively nurture the intellectual, social, and physical development of each and every student. I aim to recognize and target unique student interests and ability levels to promote individual achievement and accomplishment through collective activities. My courses will be based on lessons that provide students opportunities for direct experiential interaction with essential life skills such as personal and environmental management, and will include activities that apply and enliven familiar academic concepts. Where first-hand manipulation is physically or financially infeasible, integrated technology will permit the development of a global perspective by connecting the classroom microcosm to international information and resources. Rather than explicitly conveying information, this technique strives to cultivate student-initiated inductive discovery that deepens engagement with the material while improving comprehension. By experimenting with tangible outcomes, students will begin to explore and discover their place within their community and the contributions possible at the individual and society level. A bell-to-bell structure, clear expectations and consequences, and multimodal instruction that tailors to and targets individual learning styles will combine to ensure that my classroom is a focused and responsive learning environment for students of all ability levels and intelligences. A system of accountability based upon positive reinforcement will enable students to become aware of and track their progress and performance. Students will be guided through processes of self-reflection and understanding in order to better self-actualize, self-manage, and satisfy their needs, goals, and desires. For forthcoming producers and consumers, the Family and Consumer Science class offers a practical instructional introduction to adulthood. Students will develop and test guiding morals, values, skills, and principles in an encouraging and reflective environment. Ultimately, I strive to model and moderate the processes of proper establishment and care of oneself and others, as well as the critical relationship between the two.