My Teaching Philosophy

I believe that teaching should be done with methods that support the values one has as an educator, and individual. Students have the right to learn in a safe, comfortable, inclusive, and engaging environment that will help them make meaningful connections while they learn about topics and issues that may be new to them. In my classroom, this has looked like answering any questions students have about the new topic to settle their uneasiness that may stem from learning about such intricate subjects, such as how human behaviors contribute to habitat destruction for plants and animals. Applying Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) to every single lesson I teach is very important to me, as I want to ensure that I am using pedagogical practices that encompass intersectionality at every step of the way. 

This has looked like allowing students to share about their individual experiences, even if it does not necessarily fit into the lesson I am teaching. Allowing students a space where they feel comfortable and safe enough to talk about their experiences tells me that I am creating an environment where they feel seen and included. This also coincides with student-centered learning, which is another method of teaching I strive for. Collaborative learning, for example, is a routine in my classroom. Guiding students with a question for them to do a think, pair, share activity allows them to actively participate in their learning. Once they have engaged with the question, listened to their peers, and bounce ideas off of each other, they are then encouraged to share their thoughts. Giving them a tool to navigate their own conversations and activities about environmental issues allows for the students to use their own capabilities to learn. 

Teaching learners to foster environmental empathy is yet another aspect of my teaching philosophy endeavors. On our field trip to Mount Pisgah Arboretum, I emphasized my group's responsibility to stay on the trail as to not disturb the living organisms that lived there. Explaining to them that we were visiting someone’s home allowed them to build empathy for the plants and animals there and they tried their best not to stray off the trail, and be conscious of how much noise we were making, as to not disturb the critters living at Mount Pisgah. These are pedagogical methods I’ve held close while I have begun my journey into environmental education.