I Believe…
- all children deserve the right to education!
- we should encourage children to chase their dreams!
- classrooms should be a welcoming and a safe place for everyone!
- every student is unique!
- diversity should always be welcomed!
- in the concept of equity over equality!
- every child learns in different ways!
- in ongoing and continuous learning!
- my students can teach me as much as I teach them!
- teaching takes patience and passion!
- in my students and in my abilities to teach them and learn from them
My Educational Philosophy and Teaching Manifesto
- I acknowledge that I am a white, settler-Canadian and that I look to understand and acknowledge my treaty responsibilities and All Our Relations. I commit to acknowledging and responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and their calls to action.
- I recognize my own cultural identity and how my social position influences the way I view the world.
- I listen closely to those who have had different life experiences than my own and to the stories and voices of those who are marginalized.
- I recognize and work to include social and ecological justice.
- I attempt to create good and meaningful connections with my colleagues by listening to their stories and understandings whilst communicating in a positive manner.
- I believe the purpose of teaching and learning is to provide a safe and nurturing space for children where they can grow, learn, and experience a diverse range of information and experiences. I feel as though it is important for children to experience a variety of things in school and to engage in a pedagogy of discomfort and mistakes to encourage understanding and growth.
- I work with the pedagogy of discomfort because I believe it to be important to become comfortable with the uncomfortable in order to encourage growth and understanding.
- I practice the pedagogy of mistakes. I believe that it is okay, even great, to make mistakes.
- I work to learn more about and expand my use of anti-oppressive pedagogies through academia and scholarship.
- I will take my students out of the classroom to learn knowledge from an Indigenous person/persons/community
- I will use gender appropriate language when addressing and speaking to the class. I will use my preferred pronouns to introduce myself to students and others.
- I commit to creating a classroom environment where students and others are not overlooked, excluded, or rejected because of their varying abilities. I will achieve this through: providing options for ways in which a student can show what they know and how they know it, ensuring that all students are celebrated and valued, express my gratitude towards the students, and encourage positive feedback and reassurance.
- I will commit to further my education and to take every opportunity I have to learn more and to try to gain a better understanding. I will do this so that I can become a more confident and competent educator. I plan to do this through academia, scholarship, working with colleagues, and listening to others’ and their lived experiences.
- I acknowledge that I have a lot of learning and growth to do and that I will never stop learning. I plan to encourage others to learn and grow their knowledge.
My teaching philosophies are like a never-ending road. There are twists, turns, and bumps on my path but as long as I keep going, I will never run out of road. I may experience bumps or hills along the way, but I will strive to come out on the other end learning more about how I can challenge myself and others with those same bumps and similar hills. On this road, I will always come across something new, something worth exploring. I will always take the time to experience these new things but I will get back on the road and continue my journey of learning and growing.
