I believe that every child has the right to an education in which they are given the space to flourish, that every child has a right to reach their full potential in a place where they are encouraged to be themselves without discrimination and to express their thoughts and opinions without the fear of being judged. I believe that every child has the right to find a place of belonging within their school environment and a right to contribute to that community. I believe that creating a safe and diverse classroom requires the contribution of all of its members and is sustained through the establishment of a collective understanding of common values and that these values should be revisited and revised in order to adequately reflect the group.
As a teacher, I promise to do the best I can to make my students feel safe, accepted, and respected within our classroom and in the whole school in any way that I can. I promise to allow them to share their thoughts, perspectives, and opinions meanwhile maintaining the integrity of the group’s common values including respect for all persons. I promise to consider the diversity that exists in my classrooms when planning lessons and promise to continue to get to know my students as the individuals they are in this world. Finally, I promise to make my support known and accessible, including time outside of class for open visiting hours.
Our classroom time is a commitment that I, the teacher, and my students have committed to as becoming part of the class community. I expect for all members to be present. To be present goes beyond physical presence and means that everyone must contribute to the enrichment of the class by participating in discussion to the best of their ability, participating in class activities, and working to make everyone’s perspective be equally heard and valued.
In acknowledgement that in any free community issues will arise, I believe that instances of conflict should be dealt with in the presence of all parties involved and will aim to resolve the problem to the satisfaction of all parties to the best of our ability.
Last, but certainly not least, I believe that learning should be fun and that it should engage learners in a cycle of experience and reflection through which they are given the opportunity to grow.
