*I will incorporate mindful moments every day in my classroom (safe environment)

I believe that our mind can either be our most valuable asset or our greatest enemy. Before I even entered my first education class, I vowed that the one thing I would be sure to accomplish is incorporating mindfulness into my classroom. I felt that with the increased social awareness of mental health came more instances of people in society sharing their own struggles with mental health. I believe that the advancements in media technology have a direct correlation to the decline of mental health. This is because media not only makes us forget the difference between ideal and realistic lives, it also directly takes away that face-to-face social interaction we need in order to feel valued. Therefore, I vow to integrate mindful moments into my classroom at least once a day.

*I will never fail to greet my students at the door every morning (building relationships)

I believe that every student needs to realize that their presence is known and valued above all else. It is so important to communicate to all your students that no matter who they are or what learning ability they possess, they are wanted. We are teachers because we WANT to be teachers, and we want to be teachers because we want to give the children of today their best chance at tomorrow.

*I will show my students that I too, am human (connecting with students)

I believe that it essential for students to understand that teaching is my career, but not my whole identity. Just like themselves, I am human. I think and feel and most importantly, I make mistakes. I vow to teach my students that human growth is a process of trial and error, and trial again. There is no such thing as perfection, just the

*My teaching will always be based off the circle of courage (inclusive classroom)

I believe that in order to teach students to lead a passionate and balanced life they need to understand and incorporate the four core values within the circle of courage. The four core values are belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity