Philosophy of Education

The years spent in school are such a significant and formative time in one’s life. The 15,000 + hours spent in school occur during stages of life in which the brain is growing and developing, social skills are being learned, interests are being discovered, and a worldview is taking shape. Throughout these thousands of hours, I believe that students should be guided by their curiosity. I truly value curiosity as one of the most important qualities in a person; if you stay curious, you will always find new paths in life, you will always engage others with empathy, and you will always keep expanding your understanding and appreciation of how magical it is to be alive and conscious in a beautiful and diverse world. To foster this curiosity, at least some of those 15,000 hours in school need to be positive and engaging.

People’s experiences of schooling will always be vastly different. My goal as a teacher will be to help all of my students benefit from the hours spent with me, regardless of where they are in their schooling journey and how their experience is going. Some may need lots of support to feel capable of getting by, while others will need extra challenges to stay engaged and interested. If all kinds of learners feel like they are set up to succeed; if they feel safe and supported; if they feel material is interesting and relevant, then and only then can curiosity guide them. If they can learn to be curious as youth, then hopefully that curiosity can carry them through a fulfilling adult life.

As a curious adult myself, I am excited to witness the creative, clever, humourous, and thoughtful things my students will say, write, create, and do. I believe teachers engage with their students best when they enjoy time spent together in class, and take real interest in what students are bringing to the table. It is not our job to sit back and evaluate students’ knowledge and skills from afar, but to engage with and celebrate students’ unique ideas, perspectives, talents, and creativity. If my classroom can be a place where students feel safe, supported, and seen, and as a result know they can be curious and find success, then I will have accomplished my teaching goals.