My Teaching Philosophy:
Teaching is something I hold close to my heart as it brings me great joy. I know this because when I leave the school, I am smiling. To me it’s all about the connections; a grin, a high-five, or the twinkle in a student’s eyes —and it is in those moments that teaching is all I have ever wanted to do. Thus, my educational philosophy is driven by the connections we make; through breaking down the barriers that keep students from reaching their fullest potential, but also by emphasizing the things that hold us together and anchor us to our surroundings.
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I believe that these connections are fostered in an inclusive educational system based on a culturally aligned curriculum where at the heart of all learning and teaching is kindness.
Of course, that is easier said than done, when it comes down to myself, face-to-face with as many as thirty young students, thirty tiny violins and thirty tiny bows —as it is in Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) classrooms across the Juneau School district. When reality meets fancy educational terms, and I am reacting in real time to the needs of my students, that is where the real teaching occurs.
First and foremost, I believe in the intentional practice of kindness through positive language, behaviours and relationships (Wood & Freeman-Loftis, 2011). I model kindness through a tone of voice and carefully chosen words that make the students feel good about themselves. As Faber and Mazlish point out, in the book How To Talk So Kids Can Learn, it is up to me as an educator to distinguish, “the difference between the words that demoralize and those that give courage; between the words that trigger confrontation and those that invite cooperation; between the words that make it impossible for a child to think or concentrate and the words that free the natural desire to learn” (Faber & Mazlish, 2005). As a developing and imperfect teacher, I cannot always offer the best answer but I can always offer kindness. I sit with my students, and smile often; I’m not afraid to show them I care.
On a deeper level, showing kindness in the classroom is not just about being nice, and nurturing; it is about establishing a successful learning environment. I like to make use of games, peer-to-peer teaching, and partner activities because of the benefits students gain from a positive social setting. From a teaching and cognition standpoint, neurobiologist Eric Jensen emphasizes the importance of exploration in learning, particularly through trial and error. According to the rule of trial-and-error learning, human brains are not designed to get things right the first time, thus, “making mistakes is key to developing intelligence”(Jensen 1998). In order to foster an environment where my students are engaged in taking risks and learning from their mistakes, I believe my own authenticity to be extremely important. I admit when I don’t know something, and I show my mistakes, because that is what making connections and breaking down boundaries, such as student vulnerability, is all about.
I strive to create a classroom environment where no student feels limited or stigmatized by reaching each unique student at his or her own level. It is equally important that my students are not limited by the state of their minds’. Therefore, I acknowledge the struggles and perseverance of my students, and I encourage them to keep trying.
For an example, last year I had a student who joined our after school music program at Selkirk Elementary School. The student was entirely passionate about playing an instrument, however it became clear that she was afraid to try, out of the fear of ‘sounding bad.’ We sat down and I told her about how difficult it was for me to make any sound when I first started playing the violin. By coming to the realization that the only difference between us was about ten years of practice, on my part, a switch occurred in that student’s mind and she was no longer afraid to show effort. Carol Dweck refers to this as the growth mindset; the belief that we are all capable of improving with hard work and perseverance. To me, the most valuable outcome of the growth mindset is the empowerment that it brings when students can see unlimited potential in themselves.
A key piece to my educational philosophy is the empowerment of students through culturally significant curriculum. In order to make the material relatable and accessible I am committed to curriculum, lesson-planning and personal preparation that reflects the diversity of my students. When Freire talks about how the liberation and validation of the oppressed should be an important dimension in education I think of the ways that music can highlight the skills of local communities and reunite people from all across the north in Alaska (Freire, 2000). Furthermore, Jim Cummins reminds us that students experience higher levels of success when they are not separated from their cultural values. Throughout my experiences in Alaska and the Yukon I placed the utmost importance on providing students with relevant skills and techniques so they could participate in cultural activities including, Young Native Fiddlers, the Festival of Native Arts, and Fiddleheads. This year I will be teaching a unit on Athabaskan and Tlingit folk songs to JAMM students at Glacier Valley.
As a brand-new habitant of the Juneau community, it is my responsibility to recognize all people and living things from the community as the experts in their own culture; not just in folk culture, but also in deeply-rooted Indigenous ways of knowing. My responsibility is as a listener and lifelong learner. Specifically as an educator, I am committed to providing a culturally-aligned education that supports cultural strength and makes use of local knowledge.
Finally, I believe that becoming a great teacher is a long-term commitment much like becoming a great musician or athlete, in that being a teacher is a process of constant growth and improvement. I am constantly learning in the classroom through student interaction, and also from outside of the classroom with community members, educators, families and local organizations. Therefore, as a teacher I am also a student.
References:
Of course, that is easier said than done, when it comes down to myself, face-to-face with as many as thirty young students, thirty tiny violins and thirty tiny bows —as it is in Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) classrooms across the Juneau School district. When reality meets fancy educational terms, and I am reacting in real time to the needs of my students, that is where the real teaching occurs.
First and foremost, I believe in the intentional practice of kindness through positive language, behaviours and relationships (Wood & Freeman-Loftis, 2011). I model kindness through a tone of voice and carefully chosen words that make the students feel good about themselves. As Faber and Mazlish point out, in the book How To Talk So Kids Can Learn, it is up to me as an educator to distinguish, “the difference between the words that demoralize and those that give courage; between the words that trigger confrontation and those that invite cooperation; between the words that make it impossible for a child to think or concentrate and the words that free the natural desire to learn” (Faber & Mazlish, 2005). As a developing and imperfect teacher, I cannot always offer the best answer but I can always offer kindness. I sit with my students, and smile often; I’m not afraid to show them I care.
On a deeper level, showing kindness in the classroom is not just about being nice, and nurturing; it is about establishing a successful learning environment. I like to make use of games, peer-to-peer teaching, and partner activities because of the benefits students gain from a positive social setting. From a teaching and cognition standpoint, neurobiologist Eric Jensen emphasizes the importance of exploration in learning, particularly through trial and error. According to the rule of trial-and-error learning, human brains are not designed to get things right the first time, thus, “making mistakes is key to developing intelligence”(Jensen 1998). In order to foster an environment where my students are engaged in taking risks and learning from their mistakes, I believe my own authenticity to be extremely important. I admit when I don’t know something, and I show my mistakes, because that is what making connections and breaking down boundaries, such as student vulnerability, is all about.
I strive to create a classroom environment where no student feels limited or stigmatized by reaching each unique student at his or her own level. It is equally important that my students are not limited by the state of their minds’. Therefore, I acknowledge the struggles and perseverance of my students, and I encourage them to keep trying.
For an example, last year I had a student who joined our after school music program at Selkirk Elementary School. The student was entirely passionate about playing an instrument, however it became clear that she was afraid to try, out of the fear of ‘sounding bad.’ We sat down and I told her about how difficult it was for me to make any sound when I first started playing the violin. By coming to the realization that the only difference between us was about ten years of practice, on my part, a switch occurred in that student’s mind and she was no longer afraid to show effort. Carol Dweck refers to this as the growth mindset; the belief that we are all capable of improving with hard work and perseverance. To me, the most valuable outcome of the growth mindset is the empowerment that it brings when students can see unlimited potential in themselves.
A key piece to my educational philosophy is the empowerment of students through culturally significant curriculum. In order to make the material relatable and accessible I am committed to curriculum, lesson-planning and personal preparation that reflects the diversity of my students. When Freire talks about how the liberation and validation of the oppressed should be an important dimension in education I think of the ways that music can highlight the skills of local communities and reunite people from all across the north in Alaska (Freire, 2000). Furthermore, Jim Cummins reminds us that students experience higher levels of success when they are not separated from their cultural values. Throughout my experiences in Alaska and the Yukon I placed the utmost importance on providing students with relevant skills and techniques so they could participate in cultural activities including, Young Native Fiddlers, the Festival of Native Arts, and Fiddleheads. This year I will be teaching a unit on Athabaskan and Tlingit folk songs to JAMM students at Glacier Valley.
As a brand-new habitant of the Juneau community, it is my responsibility to recognize all people and living things from the community as the experts in their own culture; not just in folk culture, but also in deeply-rooted Indigenous ways of knowing. My responsibility is as a listener and lifelong learner. Specifically as an educator, I am committed to providing a culturally-aligned education that supports cultural strength and makes use of local knowledge.
Finally, I believe that becoming a great teacher is a long-term commitment much like becoming a great musician or athlete, in that being a teacher is a process of constant growth and improvement. I am constantly learning in the classroom through student interaction, and also from outside of the classroom with community members, educators, families and local organizations. Therefore, as a teacher I am also a student.
References:
- Cummins, Jim (1986). Empowering minority students: a frame for intervention. Harvard Educational Review, 56(1)
- Dweck, Carol (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, Print.
- Faber, Adele, and Elaine Mazlish (2005) . How to Talk so Kids Will Listen. New York: Harper Collins, Print.
- Freire, Paulo (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, Print.
- Jensen, Eric (1998). Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Print.
- Wood, Chip, and Babs Freeman-Loftis (2011). Responsive School Discipline: Essentials for Elementary School Leaders. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children, Print.