Lauren Kuney’s Electronic Portfolio

Teaching Philosophy

Your major task is to help your students become more capable and successful, both in school and in later years.  Inform them of this task and indicate how you will try to help them.  Then back up your words with actions. (Charles)

 

 

 

             My classroom is a student-centered classroom, where students can actively and safely experiment through hands-on learning.  I believe in having a rich learning environment, full of materials that are educational, culturally relevant to the students in my class, student produced, and create a warm space for learning.

 

My classroom is a community where all members of the community (students, teachers, parents, principals, etc) provide support for each other.  I believe it is my job not only to cover the curriculum, but also to have students that walk out of my class self-sufficient and responsible. As Barbara Coloroso so eloquently put it, ³Students should be taught how to think, not what to think.²

 

My classroom is a place that accepts and supports every person that walks through the door. I believe in using the different cultures and languages of my students as powerful learning and teaching tools for both my students and myself.  I use many different languages to make my second language learners feel as comfortable as possible.  I make learning relevant and comprehensible through total physical response, building on their prior knowledge, and peer tutoring.

 

I know my students¹ motivation and attitudes are a direct reflection of mine.  My classroom is a place where fear is absent, and risks are taken every day in the quest for new knowledge.