William Allan Kritsonis outlines his teaching philosophy in seven belief statements that emphasize integrity, collaboration, communication, empowering others, developing individuals, and passion. He believes teachers must have integrity to build trust, collaborate with others to accomplish shared goals, develop individuals through empowerment and caring, communicate effectively, and exhibit passion to inspire students. His philosophy stresses the importance of these qualities in teaching and leading people.

1. A Brief Statement of My Teaching Philosophy (June 1, 2013)
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Professor
PhD Program in Educational Leadership
PVAMU/The Texas A&M University System
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Introduction
“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.”
-Albert Schweitzer (1875 – 1965)
My teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of integrity,
collaborating, communicating, empowering others, and the importance of passion
in leading people. I strive to help students accept ownership and responsibility for
their learning. Students must see a teacher of integrity, who exhibits self-awareness
and appreciates the importance of collaboration and communication. I have
developed belief statements that reflect my philosophy of teaching.
Number One: I believe in teaching with integrity.
I believe that all stakeholders should trust and believe that their teachers will
make decisions in the best interest of students. People should know that the
teacher stands by what they say and can be counted on to deliver. I believe
integrity builds trust, a must for a successful teacher. The teacher displays
integrity, develops credibility, and by doing so builds a solid reputation.
Number Two: I believe in collaborating.
Vince Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a group effort – that
is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
I believe a teacher is guided by a vision that drives the mission, goals, and
objectives of an organization. I believe that by working together, the vision for all
aspects of schooling will be accomplished. I believe a teacher’s primary
responsibility is to collaboratively work with individuals, listen to them and learn
from them. I believe a collaborative teacher exhibits high self esteem and is
continuously seeking new ideas from others and enjoys giving credit where credit
is due.

2. Number Three: I believe in developing individuals.
I believe a teacher helps to cultivate those within the school systems by
building trust and improving teamwork through collaboration and personal
involvement. I believe the teacher makes decisions by developing a sense of
community and maintaining a commitment to the growth of individuals. Caring
for people, encouraging them, and valuing their opinions contribute to teaching and
organizational goals being realized. According to John Maxwell, “People do not
care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Number Four: I believe in communicating.
I believe a teacher must have strong communication skills. Communication
requires transforming an idea from one brain to another. Effective communication
requires articulation of ideas and active listening. Mac Anderson, founder of
Successories, says “The great leader truly understands that effective
communication is the key that unlocks the door to trust.” I believe that teachers
can exhibit leadership by developing trust in working with students and building
upon relationships within the organization.
Number Five: I believe in empowering others.
Theodore Roosevelt best described the concept of empowerment as follows:
“The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what
he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while
they do it.” I believe that a teacher develops individuals through empowerment
which in turn makes the schooling enterprise stronger. A teacher must trust the
students with the creativity and intellect to carry out the assigned learning tasks.
Through empowerment, students grow both professionally and personally, which is
critical for life long learning.
Number Six: I believe in passion.
A teacher must be passionate about teaching. Passion, like a smile, is
contagious. I believe teachers must articulate visions, goals, and strategies. I
believe teachers influence the enthusiasm of students under their charge. I believe
a teacher must exhibit passion for the pursuit of excellence. Zig Ziglar says, “Go as
far as you can go. When you get there, you can always see farther.”
“You get the best efforts from others not be lighting a fire beneath them,
but by building a fire within”.
-Ben Nelson

3. Number Seven: The Keys to a Life Well Lived.
Finally, I believe a teacher takes care of those they love and letting them
know they are loved. This involves determination, self-discipline, and active
attention to developing and refining a conscience to whose promptings you can
respond. I believe the teacher honors the profession. I believe the teacher is
dedicated to his calling by trying to do honorable work. I believe the teacher is
willing to master the ethics of the profession. I believe the teacher must show
enthusiasm and enjoy life. “Enjoy life, it’s ungrateful not to,” said Ronald Reagan.
Source: Noonan, P. (2008, June 21). A life’s lesson. The Wall Street Journal, p. A9
References
Anderson, M. (2005). The essence of leadership. Naperville, IL: Simple Truths.
Anderson, M. (2007). You can't send a duck to eagle school: And other simple truths of
leadership. Naperville, IL: Simple Truths.
Anderson, M., & Feltenstein, T. (2007). Change is good...you go first: 21 ways to inspire
change. Naperville, IL: Simple Truths.
Anderson, P. (2007). Great quotes from great leaders. Naperville, IL: Simple Truths.
Noonan, P. (2008, June 21). A life’s lesson. The Wall Street Journal, p. A9.