I see my role in the classroom as a facilitator promoting lifelong learning skills by empowering students to engage in critical thinking. I believe sharing my power with my students is crucial if they are to take responsibility for their education. I believe the primary purpose of education is to produce an active, reflective, moral, educated citizenry of lifelong learners. I want my students to take what they learn in the classroom, about themselves and others, into society to create a better world.

It is important my students feel that they ‘fit in’. I try to help all students feel accepted in a variety of ways, because students who feel accepted are more willing to learn and each student brings an uniqueness of experiences that he or she should feel free to contribute. I am sensitive to students’ emotional needs. I care deeply for my students and my colleagues and this enables me to work closely with both in an environment of trust and sharing. I try to model those virtues that I believe to be important: trust, honesty, mutual respect, dedication to good works, connectivity, sensitivity, reflection, and an appreciation for the good in humans and in nature. I learn from my students as I hope they learn from me.

I believe that all students can learn. I know that not all students will learn the same material in the same way, not only as a result of different learning styles, but also because of individual personal interests and abilities. I try to individualize the curriculum and incorporate caring and nurturing into my lesson plans. I make every effort to model caring behavior, engage in open ended dialogue which doesn’t presuppose “proper” endings, subject students to multiple views and experiences, and confirm the best parts of each student. By engaging in cross-curriculum and multicultural exercises students become aware of what everyone has to offer to our local and world communities.

My flexibility in the classroom allows me to be open to many possibilities and to take risks.  I can change mental gears to take advantage of a ‘teachable’ moment. My lesson plans change each year according to what I learned in the classroom the previous year. I am always looking for new ways to expand my lesson repertoire in order to meet the varying educational and emotional needs of my students. I solicit ideas for new ways of presenting information from faculty, parents, and students. I want my students to take charge of their education and realize their potential as lifelong learners.

I provide a nurturing and caring environment where students feel physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe. Immediate intervention occurs when a verbal or physical threat is perceived. I tell my students that nothing is written in stone and I am always available to discuss an issue or concern. I value open and honest communication in an atmosphere of mutual respect. As the classroom guide I take time to investigate complex issues. When conflicts arise I prefer the use of collaborative methods of resolution, and I am willing to explore, and accept, an alternative compromise in the event that a problem cannot be resolved collaboratively.

I use wait time to alleviate student anxieties during question and answer discussions. While I try to find ‘rightness’ in all answers, I believe the most successful discussions are those that lead students to formulate additional questions. I believe education is an evolving search for truth, and learning occurs through experiences both in and out of the classroom. Each student must have time to reflect on his or her experiences in order to determine their place in the world. Students must take the time to bring all input together so that it makes sense and has meaning for them as unique individuals. I encourage my students to answer questions with questions, and to continue to do so throughout life.

I try to show through body posture and eye contact that each student is an important part of the whole. I believe calling students by their preferred name, moving towards and giving total attention to someone speaking, providing immediate positive feedback, and covering all areas of the room, help make each student feel important and special. I want my students to feel confident in their ability to tackle even the toughest questions that arise in our classroom and in life.

I facilitate learning by utilizing cooperative learning activities that invite students to get to know each other, as well as assist each other in learning. I enable students to accept, and understand their group members by rotating groups and ensuring a mix of ethnicity, gender, and ability. All viewpoints are sought, welcomed, and celebrated. I believe students learn best when they can focus on exploring ideas that are extensions of issues they encounter at home and in the community. I motivate students to stay abreast of current events by encouraging students to make decisions about important social issues and I aid them in formulating actions to help solve them. I incorporate diversity lessons that offer my students an understanding of what each culture has to offer to our society. I want my students to be actively involved in their own education by engaging in action oriented activities that include the arts, sciences, and literature.  At the same time I am cognizant of those things in our school curriculum that I can change and those that I cannot.

I use different learning and teaching styles to enable all students to succeed. I constantly re-assess my curriculum with an eye towards perpetual improvement. This requires that I stay abreast of current research on the latest learning styles and teaching methods. I use the latest technological resources and incorporate the use of technology in the classroom.  I constantly update my skills through professional development, reading current printed and electronic educational journals, and listening carefully to my students. I see the process of teaching and learning about others, and myself, a never ending, evolutionary process. I endeavor to bequeath this belief to my students.

I always try to make the right choices and be the best person possible. I believe all my actions have consequences that must be considered when making a decision. I believe teaching is an honorable and important profession. As an educator I have a political commitment, an educational commitment, and a commitment to love and value each and every student. I impel my students to make connections between what they learn in my classroom with what they learn in other classes and at home. I encourage my students to take of ownership of their education.

As the classroom guide I am a conscientious, curious, flexible, independent, and sensitive individual. I prepare lesson plans carefully, but I am willing to set them aside should the students take a more productive path. I want to hear and incorporate my student’s insights and experiences into our discussions. I feel confident in my student’s ability to accomplish anything that they set their mind on doing, to do it well, and on their own, knowing that I am there if they need to ask for help or direction. I encourage my students to be creative and take risks in their thinking and their finished work. I sincerely care about my students and the people around me.

A high school educator must be a ‘jack of all trades’. It is no longer simply a profession for those who enjoy adolescents and welcome learning. First, and foremost, my priority is to promote the success of each student in a safe environment that allows students to grow intellectually. I subscribe to the Xaverian Brothers’ mission that embodies the values and morals I believe in, and I strive to implement, and communicate that vision. I am a lifelong learner, incorporating cultural diversity, equal opportunity, and a variety of teaching and learning styles, assessments and sources of information to accomplish my departmental standards and school goals. I interact with students, teachers, family, and the diverse community to make the best use of resources that will provide students with a multitude of experiences and viewpoints that will enrich the classroom environment.

I have integrity, am fair, ethical, and I do my best to model good moral behavior. I spend time reflecting on my lesson plans and goals to ensure that I introduce the subject matter to my students using the most updated and interesting methods. As an educator I am necessarily a political, social, economic, legal, and cultural entity, continuously upholding the democratic ideals of education, in a global community.

I use my strengths to solve those problems that I can solve and use my abilities as a lifelong learner to seek answers to complex issues. I bring my commitment to do my best as the American Government facilitator in the upcoming school year. As is life, teaching, and learning, my educational philosophy is an evolutionary entity. In June 2009, I will evaluate my successes and my shortcomings and make requisite adjustments to my philosophy of education.

Leeanne Carr