Philosophy

The late Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter once said that, “in a democracy, the highest office is the office of citizen.” As an educator, it is my duty to ensure that all of our children gain the tools necessary to effectively and constructively perform the Office of Citizen. As a teacher of the social studies, it is my task to provide historical, geographical, economic, civic/political, and social/cultural knowledge that can be coupled with other disciplines such as mathematics, language, and science, to effectively prepare our students for this high office. Guided by the American principle of equality and the pedagogical belief that all students can learn, it is my responsibility to provide effective leadership, appropriate rigor, an orderly atmosphere, basic learning skills, and frequent and constructive feedback to our children, as outlined by the great pioneering educator Ronald Edmonds. With proficiency in these areas, students will achieve development of critical thinking skills and decision making vital to the exercise and participation, as citizen, in our democratic society.

~ Tavish C Whiting (1995)