Nothing is more important than one’s education. For some, the love of learning comes naturally, while for others, it must be fostered. I firmly believe that all students can learn and want to learn, but not all learn at the same rate and at the same pace. Many students, after facing years of frustration and a sense of failure in the classroom, have developed a fixed mindset that successful learning is impossible. Therefore, all learning must be scaffolded and presented in a variety of ways that make it accessible for each student. My role as an educator is to foster the love of learning and to facilitate that learning. My primary task is to help learners discover new ways of attaining information; in some instances, I am the presenter of information, but in most cases, I function more as a tour guide, leading the learner down the right paths of discovery.  

True learning far surpasses what is expected on any standardized test. Learning is the attaining of new information or a new skill and then being able to extrapolate meaning and apply that knowledge or skill to a real-life situation. My students are successful learners when they begin to see how the puzzle pieces of the classroom fit into real-world situations; when they begin to see how they can use what they have learned in everyday tasks, including other content area tasks. When students begin to make these connections, I know they have developed confidence in their newly attained knowledge, and are then able to transfer and apply their learning. 

Students should take ownership of their learning. As a facilitator, I lead students towards discovery and allow them to unveil knowledge. It is not up to me to constantly feed them from the lectern; doing so repeals their ownership; however, guiding them to new knowledge places that ownership and accountability back into their hands. It is my role to help students learn how to uncover new information. Through carefully planned questioning techniques and classroom discussions, students can and will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. To help students better develop these skills, students will write-to-learn, and write to express or persuade. Students often, however, find it difficult to transfer the need to write into everyday situations.  Because of this, my students develop research plans, create websites, newspapers, and technical manuals and work in teams to share new information in real-world applications. 

Students deserve to know when they have mastered new information. Likewise, they deserve to know how to identify mastery. Assessing learning should be based upon a combination of multiple assessment strategies: some traditional testing must occur, but most assessment should be from projects, portfolios and presentations. As I am training students to become successful in society, I must train students by society’s assessment measures. Employers are looking for valuable, contributive employees who can complete projects and presentations in a timely manner. Employers are searching for students who can effectively communicate with both colleagues and customers in oral and written tasks. My students will know they can meet these demands through the projects assigned, and will work together to understand the rubrics used to evaluate their knowledge and abilities. 

As I help my students uncover new ideas and skills, I, too, must be a continuous learner. I must engage in reading and studying of research on best education practices. I must continuously participate in professional developments. I must constantly self-reflect as an educator. It is imperative that I remain vertically aligned with my colleagues and education counterparts; in doing so, I can ensure that I am preparing the correct curriculum and lessons that ensure students’ successes. Developing rigorous curriculum and sharing best practices and new ideas with colleagues and other faculty members serves to ensure students will be successful, essential, and contributive members of society.