The document outlines the author's teaching beliefs and philosophy. The author believes that teachers are guardians of learning and student well-being rather than knowledge. Their primary goal is to ensure students' emotional, mental and physical safety so they can fully explore, question and connect with the world. The author aims to create a supportive classroom environment through routine, addressing conflicts with understanding, and encouraging project-based learning tied to student interests. They also value collaboration and continuous self-reflection to improve practice.

1. Sarah Wilson
September 18th
, 2015
Teaching Beliefs
“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”
- Malala Yousafzai
All of my teaching beliefs stem from one primary belief: teachers are no longer
the guardians of knowledge; they have become the guardians of learning. Since the heart
of learning is the learner, teachers are therefore the guardians and advocates of their
students. I believe that everything I do as a teacher and as an educator is for the
safeguarding and in the best interest of my students. I believe this principle not only
benefits my students and their wellbeing, but the wellbeing of a global society as a whole.
The more I provide my students with the space, time, and safety in which to learn,
explore, question, critically analyze, and emotionally connect with the world around
them, the better the world will become through their efforts and advocacies.
When looking at the way in which I can best protect my students, I find a
guideline and order of approach from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. I believe in order
for my students to reach a desire for learning and a belief in self-efficacy and their ability
to achieve that learning, I must first ensure and focus on their safety; not only their
physical safety, but their emotional and mental as well. I believe that only once a
student’s safety, security, and sense of belonging have been ensured, can their curiosity,
creativity, passions, motivation and drive to learn be fostered fully.
What does a focus on student emotional, mental, and physical health and safety
look like in my classroom? An implementation of routine to reduce anxiety and not
putting my students in high-pressure situations, like performance in front of others,

2. without giving them the practice and scaffolded skill-set to ensure a certain level of
comfort in such circumstances. Through the strategy of restitution and developing
effective communication skills amongst my students, I hope to positively influence
prosocial behaviour in my classroom. I will approach misbehaviour and social conflict,
including bullying, from a desire to understand the underlying root of the behaviour,
rather than attempt to correct it through punishing the student. I hope to create an
environment in my classroom where there is an emphasis on the value of all human life,
and encourage my students to exercise perspective taking in any analysis of a subject to
develop empathy and compassion towards others.
To encourage and foster student desire for learning, I will focus on project-based
learning and attaching the learning to student personal interest. By personalizing the
learning in this way I hope to both validate student interests and engage students so their
motivation and drive within the classroom is fuelled by their own passions. For example,
in creating a play as a group or deciding on a final project in French, I will provide my
students with the autonomy to choose a subject or area that interests them. I will also
provide my students with opportunities to re-do work they feel was not their best, thereby
encouraging determination to overcome obstacles. I will also provide my students with
the time, space, and tools to critically analyze information they are encountering,
providing them with critical questions to ask and encouraging them to analyze bias and
understand the motivation behind what they read. I believe in encouraging a balance
between optimism and caution for my students and their learning. Through the
experience of my first practicum at North Saanich Middle School I became acutely aware
of how drastically each student’s learning style and speed can vary, even within one

3. class, and so I strive to acknowledge and celebrate the differences amongst my students
to create an inclusive classroom environment.
Through my own experiences within education programs that foster a healthy
group community, both in my Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting Degree and in the Post
Degree Educational Program, I have witnessed first hand the invaluable nature of a
supportive Professional Learning Community. I hope to contribute to such a community
within whatever educational environment I find myself in, accessing resources and
support from teacher colleagues, administration, and parents alike. I believe that to
continue to grow and challenge myself as an educator, I must make use of those around
me and foster relationships where constructive criticism and advice is welcomed. I also
believe parents can provide a wealth of insight into my students, and it would be foolish
of me to ignore this oftentimes untapped resource.
I believe that the most effective way for me as a teacher to accomplish these goals
and be an advocate for my students is by living my life by these principles and leading by
example. I will approach every classroom with the mentality that we are all in this
journey together, as a team, and will emphasize the importance of all working together to
achieve our goals and support each other’s learning and development, as learning is not
only an individual process, but a group one as well. Even though I am in the mentor
position, I believe it is important to acknowledge my own learning and continuously
reflect on my practice and communicate that to my students.