Honesty, Respect, and Creativity

When I have my own classroom, I will value honesty as the most significant quality for myself, my students, and for education. In order for a classroom to encourage inclusion for all students and to create a safe community, I believe that the truth about our different identities, varying perspectives, the subjectiveness of certain academic content and so on needs to be considered honestly. I believe children need to know it's okay to talk about their feelings and to ask questions. The more people talk and individual voices are heard, the more proactive a learning environment can become and inspire future project topics. I know that as a teacher I will be looked upon as a role model and that everything I do will be evaluated by my students. I always want to be accessible and human to my students, so that there is not a hierarchical gap between teacher and students. If I don't know an answer to a question, I will be honest and tell my students that I don't know. Like them, I am still learning and just because I am an adult does not mean that I have all of the answers. I want my classroom to be a safe and honest space, where all voices can be heard.

I believe children deserve respect. Respect is a right that every child should be protected by in school. In order for people to feel appreciated, and encouraged to participate and engage in their own education, they need to know that they are important and respected. I believe respect is shown by valuing individual identities and celebrating diversity. I believe respect is shown by supporting different opinions and valuing creativity. When people feel respected, I believe self esteems are strengthened and individual voices are heard. I believe I can respect my students by welcoming their families and communities into the classroom. I want children to be able to share their stories and have a personal connection with the academic content discussed within the classroom.

I believe a classroom needs creativity. I feel that creativity allows for children to share their own unique ideas and identities in unlimited ways. When I consider my evolving philosophies on education, I feel that creativity is the perfect outlet for critical thinking and addressing these various values. Art, music, writing, drama, and so on, encompass a vast array of learning styles and provide many opportunities for children to express themselves and to create a stronger culture within our classroom. I want children to feel confident enough to explore their imaginations and get to know themselves better. Creativity is a wonderful way to engage students, but also gives them the independence to take control over their own interpretations and voices.