Philosophical base? I used to think philosophy was only Socrates and Plato. But then I remembered the words a wise man, my father, used to say “Sis, if you don’t know where you’re going you certainly won’t get there”. That is not only true in life, but in our little microcosms called classrooms.
When I began my teaching career, back in the dark ages, I had the belief that I was in teaching to give kids the quality of education that my redeemer-teacher, Mrs. Fredrickson, gave me back in fourth grade. I didn’t have any idea what my beliefs were or why I did anything that I did, I just flew by the seat of my pants and loved kids; teaching them as best I knew.
Over the years innovations would arise demanding that I get “on board”. Administrators would push the “newest, greatest thing”. I began to wonder:
“Is this the right thing to do?"
"Does it fit me?"
"Does it fit the kids I am working with?"
"Do I have to buy all of it or can I be selective?"
"What does research say?"
"What about how kids learn?”
And as a young teacher I began to investigate all of those things and to “sift” them to establish my own philosophical sifter. Through it I filtered all the information I could find to establish the basis for “Why I do what I do.”
I want to encourage you to establish your own way to examine ideas and come away with a sound belief system. It will become your X-RAY Vision into what is right for the kids in your classroom.
Some of the ways you establish this is through being well versed in:
• How children learn and develop language
• How the reading brain works
• Research
• What children need to create a learning environment
• Ways kids learn differently
• How to celebrate the abundance in each child
I have grown from a scared new teacher with a focus on making learning fun to a seasoned veteran who understands the connections that engagement and motivation play in learning. And I use those to create a classroom where all students are involved in meaningful, purposeful and engaging environments and learning opportunities. I owe it all to that beginning teacher who constantly asked “Why are we doing what we are doing.”
So what is your Philosophical Base? Do YOU have one? It's never too early or late to engage your "sifter" and develop your Super Teacher X-Ray Vision.
Super Teachers know why you do what you do.
You use best practices, sound research and your commitment to how children learn to “sift and sort” and be able to meet kids’ needs.
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