This is a summary of my teaching philosophy and the strategies that I use in my classroom. The footnotes refer to slides in "Examples of Teaching Philosophy and Strategies."

1. Teaching Philosophy and Strategies 1
I wrote the following paragraphs to briefly describe the beliefs, intentions, and goals with which
I enter my classroom. However, teaching is a fluid art -- no two moments are ever exactly the
same. I believe that the most amazing elements in the art of teaching are the dance between
the teacher and her students, and the creative spark that reveals the best way for them to
learn.
The classroom community I work each year to create, is culturally inclusive and responsive to
the particular needs and learning styles of all students. I plan a standards based based
curriculum which is separated into a series of thematic units.2 Each unit consists of student-
centered activities that encourage each child to actively construct his/her own learning.3 The
type of activity is varied giving the students an opportunity to work in cooperative learning
groups as well as individually. The unique abilities and needs of particular students are met
through scaffolded instruction and tiered activities. Throughout the school year, my students
build a sense of community and develop responsibility as they make choices about their
learning and actively participate in classroom management procedures.
I begin each school year with community building activities intentionally planned to create a
sense of belonging and cooperation among all the students. Sharing activities focus on the
uniqueness of each individual student, and celebrate the diversity of their cultural
backgrounds.4 Throughout the year, multicultural literature is integrated into curricular themes.
Related discussions model interest in, and appreciation of diverse cultures.5 Within this
context, we work together as a classroom community to assist and encourage students that
are English language learners. Support for these students is integrated into daily classroom
activities as well as all content area subjects.
Flexibility has always been one of my strengths, and I find that it is increasingly important in
todayʼs classrooms. Language development activities must be a part of all lessons without
taking time away from instruction in grade level content.6 Consequently, I design cooperative
learning activities that allow for social interactions as well as the application of academic
language.7 Group projects in which each member contributes according to his/her strengths
encourage everyone to participate successfully regardless of language fluency. These
interactive experiences are balanced with tiered activities in which students receive direct
instruction and guided practice according to their specific learning needs.8
1 These footnotes refer to my slideshow “Examples of Teaching Philosophy and Strategies”.
2 Slides 11 - 19
3 Slides 20 - 22
4 Slides 3 - 5
5 Multicultural fairy tale unit located in my teaching portfolio.
6 Slide 10 and “Student Videos” (also located in the slideshow).
7 Slide 6
8 Slide 7

2. A particular interest of mine has been the recent brain research into how students learn and
make sense of the world. New learning must begin with making some kind of connection to the
studentsʼ prior knowledge and experiences. The diversity of todayʼs students make these
connections especially challenging. Cooperative, hands-on activities, and other student-
centered experiences, provide common experiences from which the students can begin to
build new knowledge.9 The integration of several content area subjects into themes supports
the connections that students must make with new material, as well as consistently reinforcing
important academic language.10
Throughout the learning process, I provide differentiation for my students by presenting them
with a variety of learning choices that align with their individual needs, interests, and learning
styles.11 I am confident in doing this because all of these choices are directly related to the
state standards in my curriculum plan. Students can work independently or in small groups to
practice new skills and process learning at their own pace. These flexible groupings allow me
to assist students that need more help, and provide time for other students to extend and
enrich their understanding. As my students participate in the planning of their learning, they
develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning and an awareness of their particular
learning styles, strengths, and unique needs.12
Choices, flexible groups, small groups, and tiered activities are possible because of my clearly
defined classroom procedures. My room is arranged with materials easily accessible to
students. The studentsʼ jobs allow them to be responsible for many of the classroom routines,
such as collecting papers and passing out materials. If a problem arises that disrupts the
learning environment, the students and I work together using our problem solving skills to
come up with a solution.13 I have learned a great deal from Rick Morrisʼ “New Management”
program which is based upon William Glasserʼs “Five Student Needs: safety, love, fun, power,
and freedom.” It is my experience that paying attention to these emotional needs, encourages
the students to develop successful learning behaviors in a fun and supportive classroom
environment.14
9 Slides 12 - 15
10 Slide 8
11 Slide 9
12 Slide 23
13 Slide 24
14 Slide 25