My Philosophy of Education Every child can learn and deserves the best we have to offer as educators and as human beings.
Each child is unique, with weaknesses to be addressed and strengths with which to build.
Not everyone sees things the way we do. We need to look through other's eyes and adjust our teaching accordingly.
Not everyone learns in the same way. Material should be presented in as many modalities as possible to maximize real learning.
The real world is the best model of an integrated curriculum. Every day we use knowledge and skills garnered from a myriad of subject areas. Content knowledge should be integrated in the same manner across disciplines.
Mathematics is gender-neutral. Girls and young women should be encouraged to pursue it and excel in it.
Children are not empty vessels into which we pour knowledge. Students construct meaning for themselves by adding to and rearranging prior knowledge and experience.
Recognizing this, we must first assess what is known and then help students build ways to grasp new concepts and master new skills.
Stimulating curiosity in a child through investigative learning is the first step in creating a life-long learner.
Content knowledge should be taught in "layers," with something for everyone, from the remedial student to the gifted.
Repetition is a law of learning. We can dress up an idea in new clothes and present it again to strengthen and reinforce it in our students' minds.
Technology is a tool, not a panacea. It helps students to master content, it does not replace it. Students need to become proficient technology users.
My end goal as an educator is to assist students in becoming critical thinkers, self-directed learners, problem solvers, and responsible citizens.