In the grander scheme of society and community, education serves the purpose of bringing people together for a common purpose. I see the classroom as a diverse place of experiential learning. As a teacher my general goal is to provide a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for students of all abilities to grow as individuals and gain knowledge that they can take confidently from the classroom and use to impact and explore the world around them. It is my responsibility to understand and address the whole learner, including their intellectual, social, emotional, physical and spiritual being. In doing so my desire is to show my students that who they are and the different aspects of their being are valuable, unique and important to the make-up of the classroom. I believe that to be an effective teacher, I need to be genuine and caring. Through these qualities, the facilitation of positive relationships can happen amongst students, parents and colleagues and support networks will be built for both myself and my students. As I engage with learners with different ways of knowing, my goal is to be culturally sensitive and aware. To know my own story and to encourage each student in my classroom to know their story and to share it openly and often as part of their learning experience. As I invite students to know themselves I believe it is imperative to continuously honor their uniqueness and to use their stories to develop deeper connections with them in the classroom context. I believe I should also be passionate and excited. I feel strongly that, as my passion and excitement shine through, my desire to see my students engaged as lifelong learners, enjoying the process of learning both in and out of the classroom and eagerly finding nuggets to integrate into their realm of knowledge wherever they are, will be a success.
What I know about curriculum is that it is a living concept. In delving into documents, textbooks, resources and discussions with practicing teachers, it is astounding how much is available to help focus learning activities and support the acquisition of knowledge. It shifts, changes, expands, collapses and moves as our understanding of the world, society, subjects and fields of study expand. Curriculum must be flexible to include new knowledge and MUST be accessible across the board to all students. I believe that our understanding what aspects of curriculum are important should be influenced by the composition of our classroom and the area in which we teach. As a beginning teacher there are many experiences yet to be had surrounding curriculum. Knowing this, I feel the need to shape my focus within the curriculum to reflect the strengths of my students, their passions, interests and be culturally relevant to each and every one of them.
In using curriculum to impart knowledge the school is then a place, not only to acquire the knowledge, but also to practice its application. This is accomplished through a multitude of tools that require both personal reflection and social interaction. Through this practice schools, educators and parents can partner with students to deeply embed this new-found knowledge. We can also be a place to challenge worldviews, ask deep thinking questions and shape people who value the human race above all. Moving into the professional realm, as an individual, I must then be willing to walk alongside my students. I need to fully embrace my role in supporting them, challenge myself and be challenged by others and then continue to grow and expand my own knowledge. In doing so I am staying relevant to the dynamic nature of curriculum and bringing into my classroom the most up to date knowledge available and modelling the value of lifelong learning.
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