Educational Philosophy

The purpose of education is to socialize and educate the child in the norms of society, community, and organization.

Further, education should support the development, and refinement of the student's: 1) cognitive skills; 2) communication skills, 3) resilience and coping skills within the framework of the recognition that each student is a cognizant individual capable of making their own decisions and creating their own learning. Each student should be guided to the recognition of their strengths and weaknesses so they may also recognize they have the power to address and improve their condition.

1) Cognitive skills are the primary reason education for minors is a social norm. Students should be afforded supported opportunities to achieve developmentally appropriate competence in these skills. If these norms are not achieved, focused remediation support should be provided. Failure to achieve in one area must not impact the student's successful achievements in other academic areas.

2) Communication skills are fundamental for the individual's expression of their thoughts and rational understandings of the world around them. Development of written and oral expression in casual and formal academic and social contexts is imperative. We cannot evaluate or understand others if they cannot express themselves clearly.

3) Failure is a fact of life and students should be trained and supported in recognizing it, accepting it and overcoming it. The integration of this philosophy drives an appreciation for a rigorous assessment system where average is average and evaluated accordingly. Honest evaluation with a path to improvement builds a road paved with the bricks of success fired in the kiln of re-application fueled by learning and developing self-confidence.

Education is a basic process that requires skills and focus on the student. Education is not a formula driven process. It is as much an art as a science. The science of education should inform the art of education. Brain-based learning, developmentally appropriate strategies and all of the check-box items the modern educator must employ and the like should be employed as tools and resources, the brushes and palette, if you will, of the educator. Not every painting needs all of the colors or uses a single medium. The artist employs their brushes and strokes as needed to create a finished product. Imagine a series of artists so skilled and allowed the freedom to create a painting that applies its own finishing strokes. This is where education must strive to be.