About Me

Teaching Philosophy

American children spend an average of about 1/6^th of their waking time in school. This means that our children spend a large portion of their time in classrooms with teachers who play a major role in shaping how they perceive their peers and world around them. As a natural activist I take the opportunity to incorporate social justice within my teaching philosophy, ensuring that while my lessons are student-centered and set high expectations, they are also culturally relevant and socio-politically inclusive. I want the time spent with my students to equip them with the tools necessary for approaching policies and social injustices through a critical lens. Critical race theory (CRT) and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) are the basis of my personal beliefs and teaching philosophy.

Critical Race Theory raises awareness of the institutionalized racism in the United States and considers the historical narrative of Americans of color as opposed to accepting the Eurocentric curriculum by default. I like to expose my students of not just the cultural voices represented in my class, but voices and contributions made by a wide variety of individuals. I believe that showing how every community has and will continue to contribute to our country is essential in illustrating how race is a social construct and that no one race is superior to another. Culturally relevant pedagogy is a sub-category of CRT in that it focuses on essential educational practices to promoting equity and inclusion within the classroom. I apply CRT by aligning the standards that I am teaching with real-life and current sociopolitical events. Although it is not always necessary that I only attend to the cultures in my class, I like to make sure to dedicate at least one lesson for each culture my class represents.

Of course, to apply any of the above, I must get to know my students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences. Part of my teaching philosophy is to build a culturally responsive classroom environment early in the school year so that my students feel safe to express themselves with myself and their peers. I do this by encouraging open discussions, group activities, presentations, and written assignments, ensuring all students have an opportunity to voice their opinions, experiences, or concerns. Only by understanding my students’ race, culture, socioeconomic status, gender status, languages spoken, and past traumas/experiences, will I then be able to provide an equitable environment in which the classroom needs of all students are met.

What Does it Mean to have Equity in Education?

Gloria Ladson-Billings (2006) defines education debt as the consequence of historical, economic, sociopolitical, and moral decisions and policies that characterize our society. The historical component confronts the educational opportunities that were outlawed for black and brown citizens throughout American history. The economic category acknowledges the disparity in educational funding and resources. Sociopolitical debt can best be exemplified by the lack of black and brown leaders in our education system, as well as the failure of including black and brown families in decision-making policies. Finally, moral education debt addresses the need for the truth behind the occupation of the Americas and slavery to be taught more explicitly and that this narrative is discussed, but not condoned. Of course, the moral aspect of education debt should not only focus on the past, but also on current events and sociopolitical scenarios that call for awareness and activism. Equity depends on the restoration of all four components of education debt.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2006). From the achievement gap to the education debt: Understanding achievement in U.S. schools. Educational Researcher, 35(7), 3–12. doi:10.3102/0013189X035007003