Nicole DiGirolamo outlines her teaching philosophy in 5 core beliefs: 1) Ensuring student safety and allowing freedom to take risks so students feel comfortable learning and growing. 2) Believing all students can learn through scaffolding and social interaction. 3) Creating a positive, optimistic learning environment where students are held to high expectations. 4) Giving students meaningful choices in their learning to increase engagement and differentiation. 5) Providing purposeful, intentional teaching where students understand expectations and what success looks like.

1. Nicole DiGirolamo
Big
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” – Aristotle
As an educator, I approach my responsibilities and values very seriously. The following big ideas
are the foundation to my teaching philosophy and the basis to how I will approach everything in
my classroom.
Safety and Freedom to Take Risks-The most important philosophy in which I approach my
responsibilities as an educator is the passionate belief that students must feel comfortable, safe,
successful, and unique in order to grow and learn. For students to achieve personal growth, and
feel valued for it, is incredibly important to me as an educator. In my classroom, all students will
understand their personal worth and that safety will allow them to grow, learn, and take risks in
their education.
All Students Can Learn- I believe that all children can learn, and that it best occurs through
scaffolding, connecting to students’ lives and social interaction. I hold strongly the notion that
learning is always possible, if students are given the right tools and hold a constructive attitude.
With this disposition I approach my responsibilities, and I cannot let students fail.
Optimistic community- An overall positive learning environment is a crucial pillar to my
teaching philosophy. The teacher’s attitude is always reflected, and I want my entire classroom
to understand that optimism and positivity are core values in our classroom. In that way, I will
hold my students to high expectations, as I see their true value and potential. I also expect
students to treat their peers in a way that reflects respect, friendliness and responsibility.
Students have meaningful options- When students have some control over what they are
doing, they are more likely to do it. Different end products, tiered assignments, and self-selected
reading materials are just a few ways to offer students choices and differentiate learning.
Selecting tasks from a list, and including decision making in the daily learning process is an
incredibly important part of my teaching philosophy.
Purposeful/intentional teaching- It is incredibly important that students know what
success looks like, and I as the teacher provide modeling and feedback consistently. The
students know what they are supposed to be learning and doing, and I plan lessons
intentionally. The learning that takes place in our classroom is purposeful, and students know
what is expected of them.
These five core beliefs will shape me as an educator, and I intend to implement them always in
order to influence the lives and minds of my students, as well as build up their self-confidence
and show them what success looks and feels like. Eestablishing an environment where students
are engaged, self-motivated and safe to learn is the ultimate goal.