My Philosophy

My Philosophy

I will own student success by ...

modelling democracy in the classroom.
speaking of students with respect.
teaching students to be respectful of one another.
pointing out student strengths.
making sure everyone has an essential role to play.
helping students experience and understand the power of positive interdependence.
establishing positive shared experiences.
making students aware of common goals with varied routes to achieving them.
helping students learn how to help one another in productive ways.

teaching for understanding (by emphasising the concepts, principles, and essential understandings of each learning area).
teaching for transfer (by making sure students use what they learn in authentic contexts).
insisting on and supporting consistent growth in high-level thought.
guiding high-quality discussions to explore important ideas.
ensuring that students examine varied perspectives and the relative merits of those perspectives.
helping students connect the important ideas of content with their own lives and experiences.
vigorously supporting students in developing the skills and attitudes necessary to do quality work.
start with what the most able students need and support all students in success with that level of curriculum.

systematically observing students at work.
using pre-assessments to understand students' starting points.
using ongoing assessments to trace student progress and identify trouble spots.
asking students to share interests.
listening and looking at student interests.
asking students about learning preferences.
observing students working in different contexts and modes.
asking students what's working for them and what's not.
acting on student suggestions.
using assessment information to plan for reteaching, teaching in a different mode, extending understanding, developing tasks, modifying time expectations, and so on.

allowing more time for students who need it.
enabling students to move ahead who are ready to do so.
using varied seating arrangements to support the work of individuals and small groups.
systematically planning and using flexible grouping of students based on readiness, interest, learning preference, random assignment, student choice, and teacher choice.
ensuring text and supplementary materials at appropriate reading levels.
using varied support systems to ensure access to information.
teaching instruction for the whole class, small groups, and individuals.

teaching presentations in varied modes.
encouraging student exploration and expression of content in varied modes.
encouraging student suggestions for ways to learn.
implementing options for a variety of working conditions.
delivering tasks at different levels of difficulty and providing appropriate support to move to the next level of difficulty.
offering mini-workshops or conferences on key skills.
offering interest-based options for how to apply essential knowledge, understanding, and skill.
using small group instruction to target student interests and needs.
periodically using varied homework assignments to consolidate or extend learning.
providing opportunities for creative, practical, and analytical exploration of essential content.

ensuring student voice in establishing classroom guidelines.
ensuring that students take responsibility for implementation of classroom guidelines.
carefully defining and teaching classroom routines to ensure student success.
consistently debriefing about classroom routines to ensure student success.
guiding students in establishing classroom rules.
helping students understand the teacher's work, goals, feelings about progress toward goals, and need for assistance.
assigning "teacher roles" to students e.g., handing out materials, providing help while the teacher works with small groups, designing interest centres, establishing due dates for projects, etc.).
teaching students to play those roles effectively.
asking for student input on how the class is working for them and what could make it work better.
teaching for student independence.