Teaching Philosophy

I believe that it is important that children have experiences individually and with other
children and adults in a safe, positive and accepting environment. That it is important for
children to explore and discover their own interests and abilities, and that children are exposed
to new ideas and concepts.
I believe it is essential for family members to be in the classroom participating and
learning with their children. My philosophy incorporates family and community values and
lifestyles. That activities emerge from the children’s interests and ideas. Each child’s
development is taken into account: a child who is just becoming socially active is only beginning
the long process of sharing, taking turns and being a good friend. Positive social and emotional
interactions are the main focus while academic endeavors are used to enhance the overall
experience.
I believe that children learn through play and exploration and by doing rather than
demonstration. That it is important for children to learn to be a friend, take turns, to share with
others, to listen to others, to help others, to stand up for themselves so that they are heard and
respected, and learn to negotiate in peaceful ways. Children need to be able to increase their
attention span, to learn to value themselves as individuals and group members, to be willing to
make mistakes and learn from them, to be excited about discovery and learning to try new
things and to have fun.
Philosophy of Education

I believe that it is important for children to be able to play freely. Children learn many
wonderful lifelong skills while playing and that it is the process not the end result that is most
beneficial in a child’s education. I believe it is important for children to have experiences
individually, with other children and adults in a safe, positive and accepting environments where
families and children can learn together. Children should be able to explore and discover their
own interests and abilities, while being exposed to new ideas and concepts.
In my classroom, I will create a warm, nurturing, child-centered and loving hands on
home-like environment, which is protective and secure and where things happen in a
predictable, regular manner. I will provide students the freedom that allows for expression and
creativity using a combination of Waldorf, Montessori, Cooperative and Reggio Emilia learning
methods. I will assess and support the healthy needs of childhood to promote wellness of
successful early childhood education. Afterwards, a curriculum can be molded to tie in each
student’s learning style.
I feel it is beneficial for students to sometimes work for the answer rather than being told
because it stretches their knowledge and teaches them how to find information in a variety of
ways. I also feel a key to success is for the class to work on projects to help others. I believe as
an educator, it is important not only to help the students that you are teaching, but also give
them direction to help.
I believe that all children have the ability to learn and the right to a quality education. All
children, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, and capabilities should have the opportunity to
learn from professional, well-informed teachers who are sophisticated and knowledgeable, both
in their area of expertise and life. Certainly, every child has different learning styles and
aptitudes; however, by having a personal relationship with every student, a teacher can give
each an equal chance of success. By recognizing every student's potential and having
separate, individual goals for each, a teacher can accommodate personal needs and abilities
and encourage the pursuit of academic aspirations.
I think that teaching and learning are reciprocal processes. When teachers nurture
individual talents in each child, educators can build self-esteem and may encourage a lifelong
skill. By supporting these special abilities, teachers can, for example, guide students' research,
and students can, in turn, enlighten teachers about subjects in which they may not be as
knowledgeable. This mutual respect for individual skills cultivates a professional academic
relationship, leading to a give-and-take educational alliance. This liaison allows students to feel
that they are on equal intellectual ground with their teachers, thus creating a strong academic
atmosphere.
I believe in addition to having a reciprocal relationship with one's students, it is important
for teachers to form partnerships with fellow educators. Solid communication among teachers
will promote the sharing of ideas and methods and provide a network of support. By working as
an educational team, teachers will continue to develop their craft and give the best education
possible to their students.
What I aspire to do as an early childhood educator is to provide an enriched learning
environment to benefit the whole child with a focus on promoting social, emotional, physical and
cognitive development. This development process allows for exploring new things and learning
through interactive activities giving a lifelong love of learning.
I believe that personal growth is accomplished when a teacher adopts a mentoring role.
Displaying warmth and compassion shows students that teachers love them and are empathic,
feeling human beings. One-on-one mentoring involves personal conversations about goals, and
taking time to share ideas and experiences. To be a mentor to every student, a teacher must
project positive, exhibit flexibility and confidence, set high expectations for oneself, and
demonstrate fairness and consistency. In doing so, students can see appropriate adult
behaviors first-hand and begin to emulate them as they mature.
I will try to be the best academic, personal, and ethical role model I can be, by modeling
appropriate behaviors among children, families and my peers. It is my goal to have a mutually
enriching teaching career by keeping an open mind and continually communicating with my
peers and students, while keeping up with current issues and trends in early childhood
education. I promise to try to provide an honest, well-rounded education for every student I
encounter.