Teaching and Learning Statement

I believe that one educational philosophy does not promote a commitment to diversity.
Students learn in many different ways and I believe that following a single strict philosophy
limits student learning. My philosophy as an educator is a blend between constructivist and
cognitivist. Constructivists believe that learning is based on prior knowledge. Constructivist
theory is based on Jean Piagets theory of cognitive development. Piaget said that children learn
in specific age-based stages. Students learn through self-discovery of the content. Little
background information is given on a subject and students read about and interact with a topic.
From this interaction, students make inferences and thus learn. Cognitivists study memory and
the learners role in learning instead of the role of the environment on learning. There is a focus
on the personal connections students make with the content. Students learn through experience.
Learning happens because the learner gives personal meaning to the material instead of the
environment giving the material meaning.
In my classroom, students will spend time learning from me, from each other, and on
their own. Part of my plan for my classroom involves students taking time to learn through selfdiscovery, however, I believe that for a complete education, I need to give students information
as well. Learning cannot strictly be based on students individual interactions with content.
Likewise, learning cannot solely be centered on students derived meanings. Learning is
assessed through class discussions, worksheets, journals, multiple-choice exams, and essays.
I am a reflective educator because I take time to look back on lessons and classroom
experiences and recognize my strengths and the areas in which I need to improve. By doing so, I
can improve upon the learning experiences in my classroom. As a reflective educator, I
recognize when lessons need to be adapted for individual students or for an entire class. I reflect

on prior lessons in order to prepare myself for future lessons. As I begin my career, I am well
aware that I have much to learn and improve upon in my teaching practice.
I am an innovative educator because I use varied instruction so that I meet the learning
needs of all my students. Students interact individually, in small groups, and as a whole class on
a daily basis. I teach them organization skills by providing them with an organization plan for a
binder. I check the binder on a regular basis to hold students accountable for its content. I teach
students how to take notes by example. Students receive notes packets at the beginning of a
chapter and as I lecture, they have to fill in the missing information. At the beginning of the
school year, there are few empty spaces so they learn the format. By the end of the school year,
there are many empty spaces because the students know the format and can readily fill in missing
information during the lecture. Some days students take notes and on other days students
participate in activities such as coloring and labeling maps, creating timelines, doing research
projects, and watching movies and documentaries. Every day, students have a vocabulary lesson
based on the Frayer model and a reflective journal activity. These varied learning experiences
reach all learners. They utilize different parts of the brain and involve different senses.
I am an educator committed to diversity. Diversity involves not only race and ethnicity,
but age, gender, socioeconomics, and learning styles. As a community of learners, my students
and I will learn from each other because of the differences in our life experiences. Being aware
of these differences and recognizing them as a strength is vital to the success of our learning
community. Especially in social studies, it is important that there is nothing but respect and
appreciation for the diversity of our community. My students have had different life experiences
than I have had. By encouraging students to share their life experiences at appropriate times and

in a respectful manner, our classroom transitions from a room where content is taught to a
community that trusts and learns together from each other.
I am focused on inclusive teaching. Students that are gifted and talented, students with
disabilities, ELL students, and all the students in between all feel welcome in my classroom.
They are all confident that they are capable of learning because I develop lessons on varying
levels and I differentiate my lessons while planning and delivering them.
As a social studies educator, it is my duty to educate our future citizens. It is my
responsibility to teach them the importance of being active in the democratic process. Students
will learn about what it means to be responsible citizens and how they can be mindful of
diversity in their everyday lives and in the future. I will teach students who to share their
knowledge without belittling anyone and to encourage their peers to do the same.
My focus is on community-centered education. I am not just affecting the lives of my
students, but also the lives of their families and friends outside of the school. Awareness of what
happens outside of school, a students socioeconomic background, and respecting students
religious holidays and customs are all part of a community-centered education. With that being
said, I also need to be cognizant of my students individual needs within my classroom
community. Building a classroom community in which everyone learns is a diligent process.
I expect my students to set behavior and learning goals for themselves at the beginning of
each semester. I will remind students that when setting goals, make sure that they are attainable
and practical. It is always okay to go back and adjust your goals if you realize that your original
goals were unrealistic or that you need to set a higher bar for yourself. Encouraging students to
then reflect at progress reports and card markings on how well they are achieving their goals and
what they can do to continue achievement or to better achieve their goals. Reflection also

reinforces to students that goal setting is vital to success. I will in turn set goals for myself and
for my classroom at the beginning of each semester and just like my students and reflect on these
goals with my students.
Growth mindset is vital to student success. It is not enough for a student to be told that
he can achieve. He must think that he can. Developing growth mindset is still a craft that I am
developing, but it is something that I actively want to use in my classroom.