My+Teaching+Philosophy

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=== ===For me, my philosophy of education is not so esoteric sounding; it’s a way of life. Teaching and learning is what I love doing. I think about my teaching in and out of class, all hours of the day. Teaching is a great profession because, for me, I am always approaching the day and my lessons with fresh ideas, whether they come from an article I’ve read, a colleague on Twitter, the science teacher next door, or my own head! I’m always eager to stand in front of my class, wish my students a good morning, and introduce an outline of what’s in store for the day’s lesson. It’s never the same.===

===Teaching brings out the strengths in my personality. I am privileged to share, on a daily basis, my sense of adventure, my sense of fun, my modesty, my love of learning, and my creativity. Combine these qualities with my passion and my Buffalo, NY-blue-collar work ethic (my first job was slinging newspapers at 11 years old) and the end result is a dedicated, effective and conscientious teacher.===

===My students know that all the ‘smartness’ in the world won’t guarantee them anything; they need to really show an effort in my class. And this is one of the things I’m most proud of: I have high expectations for my students and they respond with quality work. Much of teaching is leading by example, especially at the middle-school level. My students want to do well in my class, and I hope that is a result of me wanting to do well by them.===

===In my classroom you’ll find Mesopotamia bloom balls swaying from the ceiling. The walls are decorated with student work and posters reminding us of the writing process, ancient Egypt and everything in between. You’ll find students engaged--partners, group work, individual research, learning stations--I often run my classes with the workshop style in mind. After a bell-ringer warm-up, I’ll outline the day’s lesson, connecting the bell-ringer with the previous night’s homework. I’ll then introduce a new idea, show an example, discuss, assess, and set them a task to work on their own on a finished product that will then be presented at the end of class, reinforcing the original lesson. Much of learning is about making connections with what we know. Designing my lessons, I am aware of the transitions, cognitive and physical, trying to make them as seamless as possible.===

===What may not be so apparent to the casual observer are some of the common threads running through our classroom. A sense of compassionate respect, reinforced daily in countless ways, a sense of equity, again especially important for the middle-school age, and, maybe most importantly, consistency. Students know what to expect and are able to succeed when presented with consistent expectations.===

===And at the end of the day, cutting through all of the pedagogical-speak, I quietly reflect on the simple lessons of the Dalai-lama, a seemingly thoughtful individual, who encourages us to develop the heart, work for peace and practice compassion. These are thoughts and practices I strive to carry with me, into the world and, most importantly, into my classroom.===