I believe that the purpose of education is to help students develop the skills necessary to function successfully in society. Building skills and character traits such as care, love, discipline, perseverance, effectively working with others, and retaining general information are essential to thriving in and contributing to society. Developing such disciplines will benefit the student by allowing them to flourish in whatever endeavor they pursue but will also allow the student to be a benefit to society itself. This applies to my discipline of English in that I will dedicate myself to creating a space of accountability, structure, and love for my students by allowing for a space of whole group and small group discussion and participation in the readings and activities. Utilizing practices such as structured collaborative learning, challenging assignments, open discussions, and focused instruction time will allow for the development of such a learning space. In addition, I will also allow time and space for personal, relational growth both with myself, as the teacher, as well as with fellow students, as that is what I believe to be integral to my primary occupation as a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe it is my calling as a Christian to not only love others but also train them up in the way that they should go. Teaching allows me the freedom to care for my students with the love of Christ. I hope to help my students become the person that God sees them as and calls them to be in the lives of others through my own example and by assisting students in navigating their own relationships. In realizing the beloved person that I am in Christ, especially as a deaf person, I hope to create an environment that will allow students to overcome their perceived disabilities and weaknesses and become the best person that they can be for themselves and those around them.
I will put my philosophy of education into action by creating an organized, comfortable, and accountable space in which children can learn and grow. Students can expect that I, too, will be held accountable to the rules of the classroom. I will not take the route that is easiest for me, but the route that is most beneficial for them. My students can expect that I will be organized and prepared for each class meeting. They will know that I care about them, love them and that I am interested in their lives. So that I may be better equipped to do this, I plan to grow as a teacher by attending Professional Developments centered around students with special needs, trauma-affected students, and teaching methods, so that I may remain current and knowledgeable with the experiences that my students go through and education practices. I also plan on continuing to volunteer as a Sunday School teacher with kids of varying ages so that I may be more well-rounded in my teaching skills.
In terms of my own expectations, I believe my students can be committed and cooperative with the obtainable expectations that I established at the beginning of the year. I expect them to respect me, as well as those around them. My students must also be willing to be pushed outside of their comfort zone and be open-minded. They will know what I expect of them with a visual positing of the rules that I have created for the class. I will also revisit and reiterate such expectations regularly and when appropriate. In addition, I will also post the expectations that I have created for myself in a place for all to see so that accountability will go both ways. Ultimately, I want my students to leave my class knowing that they are loved, can love others, and to feel equipped to delve into other academic and practical aspects of their lives with the practices of discipline, perseverance, and selflessness, so that they may have success in the future and feel good about themselves.