Old English A DP curriculum displayed in video- update to come soon!

I have been given the same advice many times: "don't re-write the wheel" when it comes to lesson planning, advice given so we don’t overwork ourselves making everything from scratch when materials are available. Of course, the wheel works, but why not enhance it when you can? Turn the horse-drawn carriage into a car. My teaching philosophy was originally based not on a wheel exactly, but on a circle. The Circle of Courage, derived from Native American philosophies, comprises the balance of four universal growth needs: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. It represents the core aspects of sound development in adolescents and a balance that should be maintained into adulthood. However, it is my nature to add enhancements, to discover connections, and to build a sphere out of a circle. Even though it was sound advice, I still find a thrill in those sleepless nights, making my own materials and project models or continuing my learning with relevant coursework and professional development. I see in myself what I wish my students to be: a lifelong learner.

I cannot say I have achieved a full balance of the circle of courage yet, as I believe I am always growing, but I would say I am a fairly well-balanced person. I got the thirst for traveling after a month abroad in Germany during high school and haven’t really looked back since, taking any opportunity I can to embrace other cultures and participate in volunteer work such as rebuilding elementary schools in Nicaragua or farming in Italy. I have hobbies that seemingly contradict each other; of course, I love writing and reading, but I have also played rugby since I was a teenager, I paint on my weekends, and find every excuse possible to hunt down waterfalls and mountaintops, even when the weather doesn’t want me to. Now, all I really need to figure out is a musical instrument of some sort.

This is what excites me about the IB Programme; there is a true sense of balance, even though it is overwhelming at times. Not only do I see my students making brilliant cross-curricular connections, I can personally continue to learn and grow, and I do, constantly. The DP language and literature course is by far the most relevant course I have taught in a secondary school setting, as it forces students to think beyond the basics of analysis and pushes them to think for themselves. This curriculum has taken the circle of courage, along with my original teaching philosophy, and amplified them tremendously through the learner profile and approaches to learning skills. I encourage a growth mindset and focus on creating a positive environment. I paint my windows with characters and concepts we are discovering in the current term, my walls are always filled with student work, and I have an ever-changing “Analytical Antics" board, on which the students encounter various text types, such as print ads and cartoons. I believe foremost in student-centered learning and can say now I have the expertise to consistently implement this.