Mrs. Kounkel 

Educational Philosophy

Kindness, a listening ear, a sense of humor, high expectations, love and understanding are the foundations of my teaching. I strongly believe that all children can learn when given the opportunity. My primary teaching goal is to build a student's self-esteem and belief in self as a successful learner. I truly enjoy witnessing students approach once challenging curriculum with the greatest confidence in their ability to be successful. 

Through teaching by facilitating rather than by instructing, I believe that a teacher places a greater responsibility of learning upon the student. This is precisely what education should accomplish. By guiding rather than dictating, a teacher is able to provide for children those kinds of environments which elicit their interests and talents, encouraging engrossment. As a facilitator, a teacher should continually ask questions, creating an alive and vibrant classroom. 

I believe that cooperative learning promotes higher achievement than competitive and individualistic learning structures across all age levels, subject areas, and almost all tasks. Furthermore, communication with students and parents alike is vital in ensuring that all students learn and progress in an effective manner.

As an educator, I strive to meet the diverse needs of learners in an equitable way by incorporating a variety of teaching strategies. I want my students to feel accepted for who they are despite culture, race, gender and/or socio-economic differences. I also strongly believe that motivation is an integral part of learning. Active participation and relevancy are key components in developing self-directed, internally motivated learners. I am an enthusiastic, creative, and dedicated teacher who believes that children need to be aware of what is expected of them in order for them to perform to their utmost ability. Successful teachers quickly earn the respect of their students by exhibiting honesty, consistency, and fairness while maintaining high expectations for all.