Welcome to my website.  My philosophy of teaching has been influenced by many people and things that I have come in contact with through my life.  The most influential was my family.

     I come from a family of 11 kids, my mom, and dad.  We were migrant workers and would travel to many parts of our country working in fields and packing houses.  This made us rely on each other and become close.  We would move into duplexes with our uncles and their families.  Our cousins became our best friends as we spent most of the days with each other.  This made switching schools and places easier for each of us.  We would always have friends when we arrived at the new schools.  Because of this, I always enjoyed going to school.  I loved the start of each school year and looked forward to attending because I knew I would not be alone.  My first part of my philosophy is that students should enjoy coming to school.  They should look forward to coming in every day.  There should be a desire to learn and excitement to want to do.  I believe students want to learn and show off what they have learned to not only their family but their teacher and peers.

     As I grew up I spent many summers at my grandparents.  My grandmother was a strong person, physically and spiritually.  She was what we would call "old school".  She would never tell us not to do things.  We learned from experience and the understanding that no matter what happened she would always be there to support our decisions.  Whether that meant to see our success and celebrate it with us or pick us up from our falls and help heal our wounds.  Never was there a word of discouragement from her.  Because of this, I believe students should be allowed to explore, experience, succeed, and most of all fail.  It is through failure that we learn the most.  But more than that, life is not one success after the next.  In order to gain success, there needs to be failure.  How much better does success feel after persevering through failure.  How many inventions have come out of failure.  How many men and women have been made stronger because of failure.  

     The next part of my philosophy is that students need to experience.  Whether they succeed or fail, they need to try.  How often do I get a student that will not try on their own.  They want the security of knowing exactly what is expected and then still check back and want confirmation that they have done it to your expectations.  My expectations are that they do their work the way that makes sense to them.  If it is not what I am looking for, I will redirect them as needed but with minimum interference.  The learning process is not just coming up with the finished product that is acceptable to the teacher.  It is coming up with the final product that you can look back on and see where you had to make changes and adjust.  That is learning.

     Finally, my parents have been the biggest influence of all.  Without them I would not be where I am.  I cannot imagine how my dad supported our family.  How many times he did without for us.  I can honestly tell you that I don't remember being poor.  My parents provided us with everything we needed even when we didn't get what we wanted.  Looking back now, I realize that the things we wanted would not have made our lives any better or worse.  We would have played with that new toy for a week or more but then we would have moved on.  My dad got us involved in sports.  He signed us up to play baseball, something that he loved.  He could not take us to practice but he would not miss a game.  Many times I remember seeing him outside the fence supporting us.  Even when I couldn't hear him cheering, I knew that he was there supporting me.  I believe that students need, and want, to know that someone is there not only cheering them on but supporting them.  They are more willing to try when they know that there is someone that will support them if they are falling.  I believe I need to be not only my students' cheerleader but their number one supporter.  If they feel like trying something new, I want them to know that it is ok because I will be there to support them in whatever they need to accomplish it.

     So welcome to my class, both parents and students.  My wish is that you look forward to coming to class and have a love of the learning process.  I will help you along as you make your own choices and experience learning.  I will celebrate with you when you succeed and patch you up when you fail.  I will be your biggest cheerleader and will support you as you make your way through your year at Paris Elementary.