PHILOSOPHY

Being a professional in the field of education comes with great responsibility. Your students look up to you as a role model; in some cases, you may be the only adult who fills that role for a particular student.  Being a professional means committing the majority of your free time to better your classroom, lesson plans…etc.  So, with all of that being said, I believe there are certain qualities that one must possess to be a professional in this field.
You must be a dedicated individual who has goals of bettering education for your students. There are too many teachers out there who do not spend time helping students individually. We all learn at different paces and in different ways, so it is important for professionals in education to be patient when it comes to this. Aside from pacing, all students are individuals, and everyone learns in their own unique way. I ensure using multiple teaching (linguistic, visual, auditory, kinesthetic) to reach students so that no one is left behind.
Another quality I believe one must possess is the ability to form and maintain relationships. This is not only important with your students but also their parents and other professionals around you. Everyone in the classroom contributes as a student, teacher, and thinker. I learn from students as much as they learn from me. One way I emphasize this philosophy in my classes is to incorporate regular feedback from students. For example, I have exit tickets in which they reflect on their daily academic goals and provide feedback on whether or not the learning style used that day is helping them meet these goals. Students have been so insightful, providing useful information for me on what is working in class and what I can improve upon. I believe we never stop learning, and I want my students to know we can learn from each other.