My Teaching Philosophy

When I graduated from my bachelor program in 2023, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center documented that 49 percent of books had significant BIPOC (or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) content, and 40 percent had at least one BIPOC primary character. While these numbers had risen from the year prior, they still haven’t even crested the halfway point of the materials that are being presented to today’s students and the public. After learning about and reading literature from different countries and framed in different cultures, these statistics became concerning to me, which is why I am obtaining a master's degree in library science.  

As a librarian... 

I believe reading is an essential part of life and books have a strong power all their own. Everyone should be able to see themselves in a book or a work of media that the library provides, regardless of background or reading ability. I want to pass on a desire to read to each student I come across. There are so many benefits of reading which include stress reduction, increased empathy, improved brain function, and expanded imagination. It also helps with seeing different perspectives and mindsets and giving readers a sense of belonging through taking us away into different worlds or simply into the mind of another person. In keeping a diverse collection and making sure every child can be represented in the books that they read, I can only further these ideas. Reading is a gift for everyone to experience and I want to support a new generation of readers and writers.  

I believe in teaching all forms of literacy to students. I want to promote personal exploration, critical thinking skills, and overall, a meaningful engagement with information. Whether it is print or digital of any genre, I will assist my students in becoming digital and print literate. My instruction will include recognizing, locating, and evaluating needed information and communicating skills through technology.  

I believe in forging connections and open communication with my students and other faculty and staff members. I want to be the librarian that is open for anyone who would need guidance or conversation throughout the stacks and make sure to not hunker down behind my desk unless I need to. Instead, the library should be a place where everyone can feel safe to take risks, ask questions, share thoughts, and appreciate others.  

I believe in lifelong learning and discovery. As an educator, I must lead by example because I will be influencing young minds daily. Part of doing this will be providing access to resources that will benefit students and faculty. Another will be learning and adapting to evolving technological and educational landscapes and being able to educate others about changes. The most important part of lifelong learning from my perspective is growth. I will encourage my students to explore their own interests and ideas. As a leader, advocate, instructional partner, information and media specialist, and keeper of knowledge, I will help to foster an atmosphere for growth and a continual desire to learn.