Personal Philosophy of Education

I teach Senior English because I enjoy reading and discussing literature; examining and creating it, with students who are open and willing to engage in such discourse. The level of any student’s openness and willingness to engage in his/her own learning is highly dependent upon the dynamic of the student-teacher relationship. A student must not only be taught the core material but also be given tools whereby he/she can eventually learn to manage his/her own educational experience. The instruction should facilitate the ability of the student to, in turn, access information independently of the instructor. Ultimately we are all students – students of our life experiences. As an educator, my desire is to facilitate a student’s ability to teach him or herself. I embrace wholeheartedly the ideal that that the best foundation for a rewarding education can only occur within the confines of a caring relationship between teacher and student. I feel my greatest responsibility as an instructor is to unconditionally care for each student who has been placed in my charge. I learn to teach others by knowing who they are and the only way to know them is to care for and understand them.