In the eyes of a teacher....

In the world of education today, I am constantly looking at different ways that students learn and asking myself, "how can I help each child succeed and be challenged at their ability level?" After seven years of teaching, my basic principles have remained the same, and they are more clear today then ever. Children need to be taught how to think and not what; they should be empowered and motivated to be responsible for their own learning.

I believe as a teacher I can make a difference. It is my goal to create a classroom with a sense of community, and a safe and caring learning environment, where children are invited to collaborate and share their discoveries.

In today's society our children are faced with many obstacles and challenges. I believe the collaboration between home and school is essential for successful life-long learners. As I think about the value of providing real-life experiences in the classrooms, I better understand the differences between teaching and learning. It is my goal to provide those opportunities and help children make a connection to the real world.

As a teacher/co-learner I am developing a love of reading and writing along with my students. Not having the opportunities of real language experiences as a student myself, it is very common to see me reading along with my students , writing when they write, and sharing when they share. Together we celebrate our accomplishments and successes.