The driving force of my educational philosophy was my friend’s educational experience. I have always enjoyed math and science, however a large portion of that was the fact that I did not struggle in these courses. My friend did not have the same experience. They struggled to understand some of the concepts that were being taught. They would go to the teachers to ask for help but the teachers would simply reteach the material in the same way that they were previously struggling with. This only made them feel that they did not possess the necessary skills to grasp the concepts. Instead, they had to go home every night and attempt to learn the materials in a way that they were able to understand. Watching my friend go through this experience made me realize that I did not agree with the way in which our teachers were handling the situation. There was an impression that you were either born with the skills necessary to be successful in math and science or you were not. This could not be farther from the truth! I strongly believe that every student has the ability to learn; they all just learn in different ways!
My friend’s experience, along with my own experiences with math and science has given me an incredible passion for the education of both. Math and science do not need to be taught in a rigid paper and pencil manner. They do not need to be taught straight out of the textbook either. I feel very strongly about the incorporation of hands-on learning as well as the incorporation of technology in the classroom! There are too many people in this world that feel they are not capable of learning math or science concepts simply because of the manner in which they are taught. My experience working with E.Y.E.S. (Educating Youth in Engineering and Science) has taught me a lot about developing hands-on learning experiences and incorporating technology into the education of curricular concepts. This is knowledge that I look forward to utilizing in my future classroom so that my students know that science and math do not have to be boring nor do they have to be something you are be born to do.
In addition, it was my friend’s experiences in school in combination with my own personal experience that has inspired me to become a teacher. Many teachers go into teaching because they were inspired by a teacher that made an extraordinary impact on their lives. I, on the other, was inspired by a teacher that had the opposite effect on me. My first-grade teacher was extremely difficult to learn from. There were days that I came home from school crying. I was fortunate enough to have an excellent teacher in second grade, however I know that there are student that are not so lucky and end up with hatred of school. It is from this teacher that I have learned everything that I do not wish to be because my students deserve better!
My experience with this teacher versus many of the ones to follow taught me about the importance of connection. Having a sense of connection helps to develop a sense of safety. When someone does not feel safe, they can not properly focus on what you are teaching them because their mind is elsewhere. While we cannot necessarily change the lives of our students outside of school, we can do everything in our power to make them feel safe, comfortable, and included in the classroom.
All of this is to say that at the heart of my education philosophy is inclusion. Inclusion helps students to feel safe and welcome. It accounts for the fact that all brains are different and we cannot expect a one size fits all educational practice to meet the needs of all students. Students have the right to feel included regardless of their abilities, interests, appearance, or background knowledge and it is my job and an educator to ensure that this need for inclusion is being met!