I firmly believe that each student is unique and has the right to be provided with equal opportunities when it comes to their education. Beyond the academics of the classroom, I firmly believe that students should be encouraged to express themselves especially as they are constantly discovering who they are. During one of my practicums, my mentor teacher had constantly said, "Kids need to be kids, it is not our job to restrict their personalities". Although I recognize that it is important to establish professional, teacher-student relationships, I also find the importance of freedom and promoting students in showing their unique personalities and not penalizing them for doing so. Students are meant to explore and make mistakes when doing so. Within reason, those mistakes should be used as a learning opportunity rather than an opportunity for educators to get overly upset.

An efficient way to be able to support students, provide them with fair opportunities, and creates a safe environment where they free to be themselves, may all be done through establishing relationships. These relationships must contain mutual respect, trust, and be personalized for each individual as they are all vastly unique. Establishing relationships and by viewing  those within a classroom as unique individuals rather than as uniform students, it allows them to utilize what they already possess to help them grow as an individual as well as academically. In other words, doing this allows the "kids to be kids" and not have their sense of self feel restricted or not valued. 

As my philosophy has grown throughout the years, I always have and always will highly value inclusivity, providing supports and resources, promoting personal reflection, growth mindsets, and the promotion of self-discovery. Each of these concepts remains a part of my teaching philosophy and will continue to remain a part of it. I will additionally consider the idea of allowing my future students to be themselves and doing everything that I can to promote their self discovery as well as maintaining a professional teacher and student relationship.