Educational Philosophy Statement

I am a technology teacher who has a desire to empower young people to reach their full potential by providing an environment that supports risk-taking and is a safe and stimulating atmosphere in which students can develop and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. I believe that each student is a unique individual who needs respect, understanding, engagement, and to be challenged, all students can learn when they are in a supported educational situation. There are three key elements that are important in the development of young people.

Educate:         Education is more than evaluating students, it is about helping to create happy memories that students will carry with them for the rest of their lives.  In a tech area such as wood or metal, there is an opportunity for creativity and excitement about the various projects that the students are involved in.  Learning takes place best in a positive and safe environment filled with laughter and encouragement.  Flexibility is required on an ongoing basis in the technology area in order to respond to a variety of needs of individual learners and a class as a whole.

Motivate:        As a technology teacher I have a unique privilege of working with students in a hands on environment which in turn allows me to engage with a student at a practical level which creates situations where I can focus a learner’s attention toward:

• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Team work
• Self-directed learning
• Experiential learning

The skills students learn in a technical education program are transferable skills they can use in many areas of their lives.  Every year there are a few students that desire to take their technical education to the next level. It is these students that I especially enjoyed working with and mentoring, as I found their enthusiastic and passionate energy invigorating and it stimulated my own creative juices.

Inspire:           I will encouraging young people to develop a lifelong love of learning, as I share my own educational journey: as an adult I went back to school in order to further my education and challenge myself, it is never too late to learn and this is the message I would like to send to my students. I believe that there certain unchanging values in changing times and these must be passed on to every student by modeling.   These values include: respect, accountability, good work ethic, and empathy.

In closing I would like to remind my reader that children/young people are our future and we as educators are the guardians of this future, we must do our due diligence to ensure that we provide the optimal learning experience for the learners in our care. If a student feels good and is confident about themselves as a result of their experiences in my class then I can take satisfaction in the fact that I have done my job as an educator.