My Teaching Philosophy
I stared at my computer screen for a long amount of time before I could decide what to write as a philosophy. This was not because I did not know what a "teaching philosophy" was, but because, in attempting to capture the essence of my teachers (which is what my goal is) I was at a loss for appropriate words.
Then, I thought of cacti. I really, really love succulents.
The interesting thing about cacti is that there are over 2 000 different kinds that are known. Of each of those species of cacti, no one looks exactly the same. They are all individuals, not unlike the individuals within a classroom. For me, the cacti are treated as such. I have my own collection of cacti, each one very different, and each one with a name. Yes, a name, like you or I have. Some are capable of sharing pots; others need their own space. The important thing is to get to know each one -- some need a lot of sunlight, some need a little; some require a lot of water, some need less. As with my students, it is extremely important to their success to pay close attention to detail. Personal habit and responsibility requires that I leave each plant, and therefore each child, in at least as good condition at the end of my time with them as they were when they came into my life.
Just as with children, plants like to be talked to and cared for. In fact, it has been proven that talking to them in a friendly tone, even a few words a day, can improve their growth exponentially, as compared to those that are not spoken to, or are spoken to harshly. Of course, you were thinking of cacti, right? The thing is, this exact same thing also applies to students. Each and every one is unique and each has their own special gifts. Take, for example, the Rainbow Cactus. It grows, as the name would suggest, in many different colors. There is another cactus that grows in waves, or like a snake tied in a knot. Another grows with stripes like a zebra. Every child, every cactus has its place. It is of value and holds a special place in my classroom.
They all have one thing in common: they need to be nourished. They must be pushed to grow to their fullest potential and given the resources and support to do so. As they grow, maybe their pot needs to be changed. For students, the same applies. The resources teachers provide are knowledge and tools for success. The support teachers provide could be food for the soul, a smile, a sticker on an assignment. As the students grow, they move on through grade school. But the initial care, support and resources will stay with them throughout life, just as the care put into the cactus plants will have influenced them forever.
Sometimes, you get a bad cactus. No matter the care you put into it, it turns brown and diminishes. These ones take extra care, but with work, they can heal. This is no different than a "difficult student". In other cases, you get a cactus that changes to more beautiful colors. This is different from a Rainbow Cactus, as the rainbow cactus begins with many colors. A cactus that changes over time does so after very much attention, care and sunlight has been shed upon it. Much of the same can be said of children with special needs or who are more withdrawn or shy than most.
A common misconception with cactus plants is that they can be abandoned for weeks without water. This is true in the isolated environment of a desert, where weather dictates the plant's survival; however, in nurturing one's own cacti, they need some kind of dependency, or loyalty provided to them as well. They need to be watered on a regular basis, checked for spots or marks. In optimal conditions, they grow so fast, so tall, that they need supports placed behind them to hold them up. As is obvious in schooling, children need the same treatment. In one case, the nurturing I gave to one cactus lead another one to grow, as if from a seed and in much the same way ideas and friendships can grow within the classroom.
With each new cactus that comes into my home, I assign it a place in my cactus family. Perhaps it makes one plant arrangement more appealing, or when placed alongside a particular cactus, prompts it to grow faster. Some cacti wind up being structural supports for others around them. So too, then, must this same arrangement apply to each group of students that come my way. Recognizing each child's strengths and weaknesses within the classroom becomes the building block for formation of trust and classroom relationships, and perhaps an avenue for connecting with a withdrawn or difficult child.
Ultimately, what is to be taken from my discussion of the life of a cactus is the lasting effect that a nurturing, safe and positive environment has on the well-being of the cactus (er, child). If you garden them and water them, they make you who you are -- and hopefully find some more of their own individuality along the way.
Then, I thought of cacti. I really, really love succulents.
The interesting thing about cacti is that there are over 2 000 different kinds that are known. Of each of those species of cacti, no one looks exactly the same. They are all individuals, not unlike the individuals within a classroom. For me, the cacti are treated as such. I have my own collection of cacti, each one very different, and each one with a name. Yes, a name, like you or I have. Some are capable of sharing pots; others need their own space. The important thing is to get to know each one -- some need a lot of sunlight, some need a little; some require a lot of water, some need less. As with my students, it is extremely important to their success to pay close attention to detail. Personal habit and responsibility requires that I leave each plant, and therefore each child, in at least as good condition at the end of my time with them as they were when they came into my life.
Just as with children, plants like to be talked to and cared for. In fact, it has been proven that talking to them in a friendly tone, even a few words a day, can improve their growth exponentially, as compared to those that are not spoken to, or are spoken to harshly. Of course, you were thinking of cacti, right? The thing is, this exact same thing also applies to students. Each and every one is unique and each has their own special gifts. Take, for example, the Rainbow Cactus. It grows, as the name would suggest, in many different colors. There is another cactus that grows in waves, or like a snake tied in a knot. Another grows with stripes like a zebra. Every child, every cactus has its place. It is of value and holds a special place in my classroom.
They all have one thing in common: they need to be nourished. They must be pushed to grow to their fullest potential and given the resources and support to do so. As they grow, maybe their pot needs to be changed. For students, the same applies. The resources teachers provide are knowledge and tools for success. The support teachers provide could be food for the soul, a smile, a sticker on an assignment. As the students grow, they move on through grade school. But the initial care, support and resources will stay with them throughout life, just as the care put into the cactus plants will have influenced them forever.
Sometimes, you get a bad cactus. No matter the care you put into it, it turns brown and diminishes. These ones take extra care, but with work, they can heal. This is no different than a "difficult student". In other cases, you get a cactus that changes to more beautiful colors. This is different from a Rainbow Cactus, as the rainbow cactus begins with many colors. A cactus that changes over time does so after very much attention, care and sunlight has been shed upon it. Much of the same can be said of children with special needs or who are more withdrawn or shy than most.
A common misconception with cactus plants is that they can be abandoned for weeks without water. This is true in the isolated environment of a desert, where weather dictates the plant's survival; however, in nurturing one's own cacti, they need some kind of dependency, or loyalty provided to them as well. They need to be watered on a regular basis, checked for spots or marks. In optimal conditions, they grow so fast, so tall, that they need supports placed behind them to hold them up. As is obvious in schooling, children need the same treatment. In one case, the nurturing I gave to one cactus lead another one to grow, as if from a seed and in much the same way ideas and friendships can grow within the classroom.
With each new cactus that comes into my home, I assign it a place in my cactus family. Perhaps it makes one plant arrangement more appealing, or when placed alongside a particular cactus, prompts it to grow faster. Some cacti wind up being structural supports for others around them. So too, then, must this same arrangement apply to each group of students that come my way. Recognizing each child's strengths and weaknesses within the classroom becomes the building block for formation of trust and classroom relationships, and perhaps an avenue for connecting with a withdrawn or difficult child.
Ultimately, what is to be taken from my discussion of the life of a cactus is the lasting effect that a nurturing, safe and positive environment has on the well-being of the cactus (er, child). If you garden them and water them, they make you who you are -- and hopefully find some more of their own individuality along the way.
Children are like tiny flowers; they are varied and need care, but each is beautiful alone and glorious when seen in the community of peers.
--Friedrich Froebel